Echo Park (A Harry Bosch Novel)

Michael Connelly is unsurpassed as a first rate storymaker and -teller. The well-paced narrative is scattered with detail and stories within the story, that give depth and verisimilitude to the whole. Excellent, entertaining read.

Bosch-Michael Connelly-delivers once again. The more you read the books, the more Harry becomes a person you know that is so vivid it's strange to think it's a book. Connelly's research is unprecedented. His writing will have you planted in your seat, yet heavy breathing, white-knuckling the pages as you are gripped into the story. It is a true thriller that will have your mind and imagination going for a rollercoaster ride.

Excellent story start to finish. Oddly enough I am reading through the Bosch series, and this is one of the story lines included in the new the store Instant Video series named "Bosch", which I also HIGHLY recommend. If you are a Harry Bosch fan, you will love seeing the characters come to life on the screen. Titus Welliver plays a superb Harry Bosch.

Michael Connelly is unsurpassed as a first rate storymaker and -teller. The well-paced narrative is scattered with detail and stories within the story, that give depth and verisimilitude to the whole. Excellent, entertaining read.

Bosch-Michael Connelly-delivers once again. The more you read the books, the more Harry becomes a person you know that is so vivid it's strange to think it's a book. Connelly's research is unprecedented. His writing will have you planted in your seat, yet heavy breathing, white-knuckling the pages as you are gripped into the story. It is a true thriller that will have your mind and imagination going for a rollercoaster ride.

Excellent story start to finish. Oddly enough I am reading through the Bosch series, and this is one of the story lines included in the new the store Instant Video series named "Bosch", which I also HIGHLY recommend. If you are a Harry Bosch fan, you will love seeing the characters come to life on the screen. Titus Welliver plays a superb Harry Bosch.

this is an excellant book, keeps you on edge throughout. Although you love the detective there are times you really dislike his actions. The author keeps you engaged till the end.

Tina Clermont

I looked around for months to find the best Michael Connelly novel. And Echo Park was the most highly rated novel I could find.
There are over 300 Kindle books on my unit and this was the most expensive of any of my kindle downloads. I'm more than half way through this book, and i don't really care what happens next?
Somebody please tell me this book will get better and the Connelly guy has not just taken my money. The writing is not engaging the plot is run of the mill, the protagonist and the bad guy are both hollow and dry. High expectation and very LOW return

Save your time and your money. I admit that Michael Connelly knows how to write but this is a slobby and lazy effort! There is NO character development - we know the name of his girl-friend but not how she looks or anything about her except that she is an ex-FBI profiler. As far as the mystery goes, Bosch is so intent on solving his old murder that he doesn't seem to care about the nine women murdered and cut up by the other killer. Connelly is riding on his past merits. Skip this one and read one of the older, more developed Harry Hosch mysteries.

The author develops his main character but in my opinion the main guy is an idiot who gets others killed by his unnecessary recklessness making him one dimensional. If the author ever met a detective I would be surprised.

This is another excellent entry in the Harry Bosch series. At this point in his career, Harry is working Open and Unsolved cases with his partner, Kiz Rider. One of the cases that has haunted him for years is the disappearance of a young woman named Marie Gesto, who disappeared after walking out of a market where she'd bought carrots to feed the horses she was going to tend. She was never seen again and, although her body was never found, Bosch has long assumed that she is dead, especially after her car was found in an apartment house garage with her clothes folded neatly inside.

Bosch has long suspected that the killer was the son of a wealthy and powerful man, though there was no solid evidence to connect the man to Gesto. Through the years, Harry has periodically returned to the case and questioned the suspect, to the point where the suspect's father has secured a restraining order against Bosch.

Now, out of the blue, a man arrested for a series of murders has admitted to killing Gesto as well. The man and his attorney are attempting to work out a deal with a politically ambitious prosecuting attorney that will enable the killer to escape the death penalty for his crimes. As the principal investigator in the Gesto case, Harry is involved in the negotiations and is stunned to learn that he may have missed an important clue years earlier that could have prevented several additional murders.

With that, the book is off and running, and it's another great ride. As always, Harry is determined to find the truth, no matter the consequences for the politicians, for the department, or for himself. The case reunites him with F.B.I. agent Rachel Walling and it's nice to see them working together again. As always in one of these novels, there are plenty of surprising twists and turns and lots of great action. I set everything else aside and devoured this book in a day, and it just made me that much more anxious to get back and re-read the next one in the series.

Review of an audio book read by Len Cariou. ECHO PARK Bosch book 12.

It is a year later, and Bosch and his partner Kiz Rider are still working OU Open Unsolved (cold cases). Harry is invited into a 13 year old case he had previously worked by Rick O’Shea, a prosecutor who is running for DA. A serial killer has been arrested and is willing to help close a dozen cases in exchange for taking the death penalty off the table. Bosch smells a rat.

Harry calls Rachel Walling to bounce the case off her because she had been a profiler. She now works for an FBI task force, and they start seeing each other. Ex-wife Elinore and his daughter are still in Hong Kong. As is the case with many men, the women in his life help him hold onto his rage. Catching murderers may be Harry’s calling, but he often gets lost in a case in his attempt to give a voice to the dead.

Ex-Deputy chief Irvin S. Irving is out of the department and running for city council. Beating up the LAPD and the chief that fired him is his primary campaign message.

This is a great story taking many twists and turns with politics always a factor. I sometimes can guess who the bad guy is, but not this time. The dealmaker whose actions lead to the death of 2 cops and a serial killer escaping justice, was a surprise this time. Along the way Harry gets help from a newspaper reporter, Keisha, who is off the police beat, but still willing to trade. He also meets Jerry Edgars uncle. No Lt Billits in this story. Wonderful mystery and police procedural… 5 stars.

I could say that Echo Park was my favourite Harry Bosch novel but I would be lying, they are all equally brilliant. Harry is back out of retirement working for the Open Unsolved Crimes Unit with the LAPD, cases that have gone cold and need a revaluation with fresh eyes. He is partnered with Kiz Ryder and one day they receive a call from the District Attorney's dept in respect of the case of Marie Gesto, an unsolved murder that has bitter memories for Bosch.

When a van driven by Raynard Waits is routinely stopped, and during the search body parts are discovered wrapped in black plastic, the resulting fallout brings into question the handling of the Gesto murder inquiry some 15 years ago. It would appear that Waits is prepared to admit his culpability in the Gesto homicide. As Bosch delves deeper into the records it becomes clear that a valuable piece of evidence had clearly been overlooked in the original investigation. The case is further complicated by the political ambitions of a future DA candidate Richard O'Shea and when a dangerous life threatening situation develops on a field trip Bosch is annoyed and confused over the lies and deceit directed towards him. At the same time Harry is presently surprised when he rekindles relationship with FBI agent Rachel Walling but it remains to be seen if the two have a future together.

Echo Park is an all consuming, edge of the seat thriller. Michael Connelly gives some great insights into the mindset of Bosch. He is an officer not accustomed or prepared to follow instructions or directions from his immediate superiors...."Bosch considered himself a true detective, one who took it all inside and cared. Everybody counts or nobody counts. That's what he always said.".....He always gets results but he is a maverick and as such his stubbornness and gung ho attitude creates dangerous and politically damaging situations for the LAPD

Rachel Walling must look within herself and question whether she is prepared to accept and indeed love a police officer who appears to go through each day without fully understanding how his dangerous conduct affects those around him..."Are you saying all is forgiven? There's nothing to forgive. The past is past and life's too short. You know, all of these clichés. She smiled and they sealed it with a kiss.".......

I am always astounded at the high quality of Connelly's writing his descriptions of the city of angels..."it was said that LA was a sunny place for shady people" and his deep understanding of a flawed but brilliant police officer so shaped by his difficult childhood and his experiences in the hell of Vietnam...."He had come many years and many miles but it seemed to him that he had never really left the tunnels behind, that his life had always been a slow movement through darkness and tight spaces on the way to a flickering light. He knew he was then, now, and forever a tunnel rat.".......Story telling of the highest order and highly highly recommend

When a serial killer agrees to confess to a string of murders, LAPD detective Harry Bosch may finally have an answer for Dan and Irene Gesto, whose daughter, Marie has been missing for thirteen years. Bosch is never at rest until a case is solved, and ever since he came out of retirement, he’s been pulling the Gesto file regularly, hoping for a break.

Echo Park is the story of how Raynard Waits becomes the center of a high profile case, made conveniently public during a tight political race for Los Angeles District Attorney. Harry Bosch is a guy who follows his own rules, but is true to his deep-seated drive to get the bad guys. He maneuvers through city politics and other hidden agendas to nail Waits and whoever else may be responsible.

I jumped into this Bosch mystery series, knowing nothing about the main character. In creating Bosch, Connelly was inspired by the 15th Century Dutch painter, Hieronymus Bosch, known for his paintings depicting sin, violence and hell. Connelly fans have their pick of twenty-nine novels, many with Bosch as their main guy. While it may be best to start at the beginning, I enjoyed this 2006 crime mystery very much. It’s smartly written, with many well-defined characters, has a little bit of romance and not too much violence. I always like reading about the battle between good and evil, particularly in combatting violence against women. Connelly makes it clear which side he and Bosch are on.

I especially enjoyed getting to know Harry and his quirky nature. As with many mysteries, we learn about area restaurant menus and what everyone eats. And, although I’ve never driven through Los Angeles, I had fun reading about the different neighborhoods and got a realistic feel for how the action was unfolding. Equally fun is the banter between Harry and his contacts across the city who help him uncover the facts – they’re often resistant at first because they know he’s a rule-bender – but they always come through for their friend.

Echo Park has many exciting twists and turns. I’m not a trained mystery reader and prefer to have the story develop for me, without thinking too far ahead. I was surprised more than once by plot and character shifts. Connelly includes surprises to the very end that would satisfy even the seasoned mystery reader.

I recommend Echo Park to anyone who enjoys mysteries and likes to see justice served.

Save your time and your money. I admit that Michael Connelly knows how to write but this is a slobby and lazy effort! There is NO character development - we know the name of his girl-friend but not how she looks or anything about her except that she is an ex-FBI profiler. As far as the mystery goes, Bosch is so intent on solving his old murder that he doesn't seem to care about the nine women murdered and cut up by the other killer. Connelly is riding on his past merits. Skip this one and read one of the older, more developed Harry Hosch mysteries.

The author develops his main character but in my opinion the main guy is an idiot who gets others killed by his unnecessary recklessness making him one dimensional. If the author ever met a detective I would be surprised.

This is another excellent entry in the Harry Bosch series. At this point in his career, Harry is working Open and Unsolved cases with his partner, Kiz Rider. One of the cases that has haunted him for years is the disappearance of a young woman named Marie Gesto, who disappeared after walking out of a market where she'd bought carrots to feed the horses she was going to tend. She was never seen again and, although her body was never found, Bosch has long assumed that she is dead, especially after her car was found in an apartment house garage with her clothes folded neatly inside.

Bosch has long suspected that the killer was the son of a wealthy and powerful man, though there was no solid evidence to connect the man to Gesto. Through the years, Harry has periodically returned to the case and questioned the suspect, to the point where the suspect's father has secured a restraining order against Bosch.

Now, out of the blue, a man arrested for a series of murders has admitted to killing Gesto as well. The man and his attorney are attempting to work out a deal with a politically ambitious prosecuting attorney that will enable the killer to escape the death penalty for his crimes. As the principal investigator in the Gesto case, Harry is involved in the negotiations and is stunned to learn that he may have missed an important clue years earlier that could have prevented several additional murders.

With that, the book is off and running, and it's another great ride. As always, Harry is determined to find the truth, no matter the consequences for the politicians, for the department, or for himself. The case reunites him with F.B.I. agent Rachel Walling and it's nice to see them working together again. As always in one of these novels, there are plenty of surprising twists and turns and lots of great action. I set everything else aside and devoured this book in a day, and it just made me that much more anxious to get back and re-read the next one in the series.

Review of an audio book read by Len Cariou. ECHO PARK Bosch book 12.

It is a year later, and Bosch and his partner Kiz Rider are still working OU Open Unsolved (cold cases). Harry is invited into a 13 year old case he had previously worked by Rick O’Shea, a prosecutor who is running for DA. A serial killer has been arrested and is willing to help close a dozen cases in exchange for taking the death penalty off the table. Bosch smells a rat.

Harry calls Rachel Walling to bounce the case off her because she had been a profiler. She now works for an FBI task force, and they start seeing each other. Ex-wife Elinore and his daughter are still in Hong Kong. As is the case with many men, the women in his life help him hold onto his rage. Catching murderers may be Harry’s calling, but he often gets lost in a case in his attempt to give a voice to the dead.

Ex-Deputy chief Irvin S. Irving is out of the department and running for city council. Beating up the LAPD and the chief that fired him is his primary campaign message.

This is a great story taking many twists and turns with politics always a factor. I sometimes can guess who the bad guy is, but not this time. The dealmaker whose actions lead to the death of 2 cops and a serial killer escaping justice, was a surprise this time. Along the way Harry gets help from a newspaper reporter, Keisha, who is off the police beat, but still willing to trade. He also meets Jerry Edgars uncle. No Lt Billits in this story. Wonderful mystery and police procedural… 5 stars.

I could say that Echo Park was my favourite Harry Bosch novel but I would be lying, they are all equally brilliant. Harry is back out of retirement working for the Open Unsolved Crimes Unit with the LAPD, cases that have gone cold and need a revaluation with fresh eyes. He is partnered with Kiz Ryder and one day they receive a call from the District Attorney's dept in respect of the case of Marie Gesto, an unsolved murder that has bitter memories for Bosch.

When a van driven by Raynard Waits is routinely stopped, and during the search body parts are discovered wrapped in black plastic, the resulting fallout brings into question the handling of the Gesto murder inquiry some 15 years ago. It would appear that Waits is prepared to admit his culpability in the Gesto homicide. As Bosch delves deeper into the records it becomes clear that a valuable piece of evidence had clearly been overlooked in the original investigation. The case is further complicated by the political ambitions of a future DA candidate Richard O'Shea and when a dangerous life threatening situation develops on a field trip Bosch is annoyed and confused over the lies and deceit directed towards him. At the same time Harry is presently surprised when he rekindles relationship with FBI agent Rachel Walling but it remains to be seen if the two have a future together.

Echo Park is an all consuming, edge of the seat thriller. Michael Connelly gives some great insights into the mindset of Bosch. He is an officer not accustomed or prepared to follow instructions or directions from his immediate superiors...."Bosch considered himself a true detective, one who took it all inside and cared. Everybody counts or nobody counts. That's what he always said.".....He always gets results but he is a maverick and as such his stubbornness and gung ho attitude creates dangerous and politically damaging situations for the LAPD

Rachel Walling must look within herself and question whether she is prepared to accept and indeed love a police officer who appears to go through each day without fully understanding how his dangerous conduct affects those around him..."Are you saying all is forgiven? There's nothing to forgive. The past is past and life's too short. You know, all of these clichés. She smiled and they sealed it with a kiss.".......

I am always astounded at the high quality of Connelly's writing his descriptions of the city of angels..."it was said that LA was a sunny place for shady people" and his deep understanding of a flawed but brilliant police officer so shaped by his difficult childhood and his experiences in the hell of Vietnam...."He had come many years and many miles but it seemed to him that he had never really left the tunnels behind, that his life had always been a slow movement through darkness and tight spaces on the way to a flickering light. He knew he was then, now, and forever a tunnel rat.".......Story telling of the highest order and highly highly recommend

When a serial killer agrees to confess to a string of murders, LAPD detective Harry Bosch may finally have an answer for Dan and Irene Gesto, whose daughter, Marie has been missing for thirteen years. Bosch is never at rest until a case is solved, and ever since he came out of retirement, he’s been pulling the Gesto file regularly, hoping for a break.

Echo Park is the story of how Raynard Waits becomes the center of a high profile case, made conveniently public during a tight political race for Los Angeles District Attorney. Harry Bosch is a guy who follows his own rules, but is true to his deep-seated drive to get the bad guys. He maneuvers through city politics and other hidden agendas to nail Waits and whoever else may be responsible.

I jumped into this Bosch mystery series, knowing nothing about the main character. In creating Bosch, Connelly was inspired by the 15th Century Dutch painter, Hieronymus Bosch, known for his paintings depicting sin, violence and hell. Connelly fans have their pick of twenty-nine novels, many with Bosch as their main guy. While it may be best to start at the beginning, I enjoyed this 2006 crime mystery very much. It’s smartly written, with many well-defined characters, has a little bit of romance and not too much violence. I always like reading about the battle between good and evil, particularly in combatting violence against women. Connelly makes it clear which side he and Bosch are on.

I especially enjoyed getting to know Harry and his quirky nature. As with many mysteries, we learn about area restaurant menus and what everyone eats. And, although I’ve never driven through Los Angeles, I had fun reading about the different neighborhoods and got a realistic feel for how the action was unfolding. Equally fun is the banter between Harry and his contacts across the city who help him uncover the facts – they’re often resistant at first because they know he’s a rule-bender – but they always come through for their friend.

Echo Park has many exciting twists and turns. I’m not a trained mystery reader and prefer to have the story develop for me, without thinking too far ahead. I was surprised more than once by plot and character shifts. Connelly includes surprises to the very end that would satisfy even the seasoned mystery reader.

I recommend Echo Park to anyone who enjoys mysteries and likes to see justice served.

It took me two-and-a-half years to go from The Closers to Echo Park. It’s been a long while since I selected the next installment in the Bosch series for nightly reading. And now that I’m back on track with this series, nothing’s really changed much. My appreciation for the Bosch novels hasn’t subsided just yet.

Echo Park is more of the same: Bosch and company have a mystery to solve, there are intense moments, there is a romantic involvement (somewhat), and of course, there’s the plot twist near the end. From the looks of it, almost everything is done by the numbers, as what you’d expect in crime fiction.

There are a few things that prevent me from giving this book a perfect rating. The twists in the story didn’t surprise me in any way. I expected them to occur (since they are a common trait in crime novels), and even if a few characters in the story aren’t what they seem, the twists still weren’t as mind-bending as in the previous Bosch novels. Second, the romance in this story is rather forced. It almost annoyed me until the very end. Yeah, it’s the same two people we’ve come to know and love from The Narrows, but the chemistry between them just wasn’t interesting to me. At least in the Narrows, everything had been set up quite well. Here, it’s like a routine that has to be done. Finally, I’d be nitpicking if I said that I had a couple of problems with the overall grammar, but that’s not important, anyway.

What really makes this novel really soar is the hard-hitting realism that I’ve come to expect from crime fiction. The crime itself is truly disturbing, and the antagonists are appropriately immoral and unfit for modern society. The dark and hard-boiled tone of the story is not for the squeamish, which makes people like me qualified to read it from beginning to end. The descriptions of Los Angeles are so good to read through. Seeing as how I am a Southern California native, I always like Connelly’s depiction of the City of Angels and everything that surrounds it. True, not all of it may be pleasant, but at least they’re still intriguing. Finally, Bosch is still the same old character that we always love to follow. He’s got the right stuff at the right time. This is one character that seems to overwhelm the rest in crime fiction.

I can’t really say that this was an excellent read, but it’s not bad, either. There were some flaws that I couldn’t tolerate, but luckily, there are some great things about Echo Park that I can’t overlook. Anyone who has been reading the Bosch novels will most likely get a kick out of this one.

Official Grade: 7.8 out of 10

Oh no, another Harry Bosch story in which the maverick Californian detective loser goes his own way, defying orders, breaking all the rules, driving across Los Angeles, checking his mobile phone and, incidentally, solving a murder mystery dating back 13 years.

Despite this achievement, poor Harry gets no thanks from his bosses or society and even gets dumped by his girlfriend who thinks he's just too reckless for her.

Why? Well perhaps because he goes alone into a dark den where a maniac killer is trapped surrounded by the bones of his victims like a minotaur or because earlier he led his partner into a shoot-out with the maniac in which she got badly wounded and two other cops were killed. Even Inspector Clouseau had a better record than that.

No doubt fans will like this one - and it's certainly better than turkeys like "The Closers" and "Nine Dragons" - but I would only recommend it if there is nothing else around to read.

First of all let me just say that I love these Harry Bosch novels and this one was entertaining.

However, compared to the previous books in the series, I felt that there were several plot points and character reactions that didn’t feel as realistic as other novels. I don’t want to get spoilery, so I won’t going to details. I just felt that some of the actions taken against Bausch, some of the actions taken BY Bosch, and some of the reactions TO Bausch where a little too far-fetched for me this time around.

Still, not a terrible read. Still fun.

I found this tale to be quite captivating, as I am enjoying Detective Bosch's foray into the world of cold cases. For me, such work is consistent with the very essence of his character, so it is easy to envision that some of his old, unsolved cases would haunt him for many years.

It was a tightly woven story that mainly focused on solving the case at hand, with were fewer side issues involving departmental or interagency political squabbles than normal. That aspect was somewhat refreshing. However, Mr. Connelly's continual theme of internal issues within the LAPD was still respected nevertheless.

The romantic and partner angles were well conceived extensions of previous ongoing threads, and thus helped increase the reader's level of engagement in the story. They continue to reveal that even a talented, dedicated detective like Bosch has numerous personal flaws that hold him back personally and professionally.

About the only quibble I have with this one was the relative short shrift given to his relationship with his daughter. It might have been better to have at least one significant interaction with her, even if it was via phone. Perhaps his budding relationship with her could have been used to help him better understand, and somewhat appreciate, the parental/child dynamics that ultimately played a key role in the plot line.

I am truly a Bosch fan, and this is perhaps why this book disappointed me so much. Bosch is exposed in this book as VERY unprofessional, and is something quite different than we find and enjoy in the other books. Although presented in typically compelling Connelly style, this is simply a mess.
Connelly usually has well researched procedures and even realistic action/reaction in the realm of police work. Not so here. I know, I served for 21 years (6 as a Detective).
Nobody tells an Officer to uncuff a prisoner ... period. Let alone having such foolishness obeyed. Furthermore, L.A. County D.A.s do not direct investigations as they do in NYC. One of the first thing run and printed in an investigation like this is a firearm registration check. To insinuate that was done but ignored for perhaps sinister purposes by our hero, hmmmmm? All wrong and silly here.
Worse though is that in this book borderline rogue Detective Bosch completely leaves the reservation and dangerously performs like a fool. Not to mention that he behaves disrespectfully across the board.
I appreciate the fact that Connelly brings Bosch back where he belongs in subsequent books. I suspect that Echo Park is a failed experiment in blending light into a very dark world.
As is discussed in the book (from Maclaren Hall) one must choose which dog he is going to feed. In this case one must choose if this is the dog he is going to read.

I've read all the Harry Bosch, Terry McCaleb and Mickey Haller books written to this point. While I usually enjoy his investigative prowess, I'm getting tired of his cowboy recklessness. ***SPOILER ALERT*** When a character knows he or she is doing something wrong and does it anyway, it gets old and Connelly has Bosch doing a lot of that in this book. It's also annoying when he is smart enough to figure out something fairly tricky and then gets "blindsided" by something he should have seen coming a mile away. Finally, (I guess I need to take a break from Bosch) he acts like a real jerk sometimes. Time to read some more John Sanford Virgil Flowers novels. Detectives can get the job done without having to be A$$es. I hope Bosch in future novels takes his criticism from other characters to heart and stops acting so badly.

Connelly used to be one of those airport newsstand authors that I would avoid like the plague. Big mistake. I have devoured four or five of his Bosch books in the last month. They are that compelling. Connelly is a former LA Times crime reporter and his familiarity with the LAPD, the criminal courts building, the Hollywood Hills, and the environs around downtown LA are evident in this book. For someone who is familiar with these haunts, Connelly's observations are so dead-on that they are not off-putting.

Harry Bosch is Connelly's most popular character and he has put out over a dozen Bosch novels over the years. He is here an LAPD detective who came back from retirement to work cold cases, including a few he couldn't put down over the years. Marie Gesto disappeared after stopping at the Mayfair Market on Franklin on her way up Beachwood to the Sunset Stables. Her car and her neatly folded clothes were found in an apartment garage overlooking the Hollwyood Bowl, but her body was never found. Bosch always believed that it was a rich man's son who did it, but Bosch couldn't prove it even though he had hassled the son so much that there were countless restraining orders keeping Bosch away from the son.

A man is found during an Echo Park traffic stop with bags of body parts with him. Soon, it turns out that the man is ready to confess to nine other murders including Marie Gesto's in order to avoid the needle. Although he leads Bosch and others to Gesto's body, Bosch isn't buying it and a world of trouble both political and law enforcement wise opens up. It was a great read. In fact, it was quick easy reading and absolutely compelling. Highly recommended.

Harry Bosch should be the poster boy for American police detectives. He works in LA and is the consummate professional. Every story (this is the 12th) reinforces the notion that Bosch was born to be a detective.

Thus, it is a shock to Bosch to find that he and his partner missed a clue in 1993 that allowed a serial killer to continue his awful murders. The serial killer murdered at least 9 more after 1993.

Midway through the book, the accused killer comments about `feeding the dog.' One of the things the perp learned while a ward of Los Angeles' foster care system was that each of us has desires and limitations. Our character is determined by which of those competing limitations and desires we choose to feed. In other words, we all have choices; and the choices we make create our reality.

Connelly's tightly constructed plot is amazing. It takes Harry Bosch time to get to the heart of the problem - and he solves the case even though it costs him dearly.

My first story by Connelly was THE BLACK ICE; I've been an avid fan ever since.

Harry Bosch Series
1. The Black Echo (1992)
2. The Black Ice (1993)
3. The Concrete Blonde (1994)
4. The Last Coyote (1995)
5. Trunk Music (1997)
6. Angels Flight (1998)
7. A Darkness More than Night (2000)
8. City Of Bones (2002)
9. Lost Light (2003)
10. The Narrows (2004)
11. The Closers (2005)
12. Echo Park (2006)

With ECHO PARK, I've finally read every Michael Connelly book there is, including all novels featuring Harry Bosch. Knowing how Bosch is after this novel, I always assumed the events would be a little more dramatic. As it is, Echo Park has its interesting moments, but still features Bosch solving old cases, which is inherently less dramatic than solving current ones.

Serial killer Raynard Waits was caught with the dead bodies of two women in his van, so it's hard to deny he's guilty. However, Boscho becomes involved when Waits confesses to the killing of Marie Gesto. Gesto was a case Bosch had back in 1993, but never solved. Bosch is brought into the case when the DA discovers a small piece of evidence that could have aided Bosch in catching Waits back in 1993 for the Gesto killing. Bosch is torn up by the fact. He brings in old flame Rachel Walling to try and get a read on Waits. He also wonders how he could have missed Waits? But, what kind of secrets is Waits hiding? What really happened to Marie Gesto? And will Bosch be able to find the true evil lurking close to home.

ECHO PARK is a good book, but not great. There's no true looming threat, no true danger other than Bosch's career. His relationship with Walling hangs in the balance, but I found the handling of that to be less than believable. This novel as well as the recently released BLACK BOX shows that both Connelly and Bosch are as good as ever.

Wow wow wow. I really loved this addition to the Bosch series. The plot was captivating. Just when I thought I knew what was happening, the story would go a completely different direction from what I expected. Also, there were a lot of really tense moments/tragedies that got my emotions all over the place. And the character development with Bosch was very well done. This was just an excellent read. Maybe my new favorite in the series?

STORY BRIEF:
Marie Gesto was killed thirteen years ago. Bosch suspected someone but could never prove it. Now a serial killer named Waits has been arrested. He says that he murdered Marie in addition to others. Waits is willing to take authorities to Marie's body, in return for a deal. Stuff happens. Things get complicated. Rachel Walling (FBI) helps Bosch.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
I find this average for this author, but above average for crime mysteries in general. I had a tough time deciding between 3 and 4 stars. I still don't know. I will say two of the good guys did something stupid that bothered me. Bosch asked a question of Waits while riding in the car that could have jeopardized things. Kiz was a smart cop, but her actions in one scene were incompetent. That bothered me. Anyway I won't say more so I can avoid spoilers. The best Bosch books are where Bosch does neat or unexpected things to outsmart others. I don't recall this book having that, but it was still above average. I enjoyed it. As I've said before, I love the series. I'm doing them all. I admire and respect Bosch. I like the way he follows his instincts. He takes chances.

NARRATOR:
The narrator Len Cariou is excellent. My only hesitation is that his Canadian accent doesn't fit a "west coast Harry Bosch." For example "talk" sounds like "tahk." But I'm getting used to him, and I don't notice it as much as I did in the earlier books. He does a good job with both men and women. A couple seconds of music between some of the chapters was nice. It sounded like suspense movie background music.

DATA:
Unabridged audiobook length: 10 hrs and 34 mins. Narrator: Len Cariou. Swearing language: strong but not frequently used. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: two, referred to not shown. Setting: 2006 Los Angeles, California. Book Copyright: 2006. Genre: crime mystery. Ending: Satisfying.

THE SERIES:
I recommend reading the Harry Bosch books in order, but it would be ok to try "The Last Coyote" or "Lost Light" first just to see if you like the style. Then go back and read the rest in order. Following is my recommended reading order.

3 stars. The Black Echo
3 ½ stars. The Black Ice
4 stars. The Concrete Blonde
5 stars. The Last Coyote
4 stars. Trunk Music
4 stars. Angels Flight
4 ½ stars. Blood Work (McCaleb series #1) Bosch is not in this.
3 ½ stars. A Darkness More Than Night (McCaleb series #2 McCaleb is the primary investigator, but he interacts with Bosch.
3 ½ stars. City Of Bones
5 stars. Lost Light
5 stars. The Poet (McEvoy series #1) Bosch is not in this. Read this any time before "The Narrows."
4 stars. The Narrows sequel to The Poet) Bosch is the main investigator.
3 stars. The Closers
3 ½ stars. Echo Park

I say "predictably good" because Connelly is one of the authors who can be counted on to write books worth reading.

This novel is one of the later books in a series centered on Harry Bosch, an LAPD detective with a reputation for being a risk-taking maverick. Harry Bosch reminds me of the Dirty Harry character, and I always imagine a younger Clint Eastwood playing the role.

The book begins with a short chapter concerning a missing person case from 1993 - the young woman is presumed dead, and Harry has a suspect, but he hasn't been able to find the body or gather enough evidence to charge the man. Then Harry receives a phone call from the district attorney's office: a man who was arrested with a bag of body parts in his car has confessed to killing the woman in Harry's unsolved case. He's also confessed to killing a number of other women. The killer's attorney is arranging a deal whereby the man with the bags of body parts will reveal the location of other bodies in return for having the death penalty taken off the table. Harry doesn't like it, for a number of reasons. At first he thinks that the confessing killer didn't really do it, but he would like to be able to recover the body of the missing woman, for her parents' sake. So although Harry doesn't think much of the district attorney or his staff or this deal, he goes along with the plan. He's involved to verify that the suspect is telling the truth about the killings. The plan is to recover the young woman's body. Of course, everything falls apart, and Harry's maverick behavior goes into overdrive.

This series emphasizes the character and relationships of Harry Bosch, sometimes at the expense of plotting. I think I stopped short of rating this as five stars because of the relatively uncomplicated plotting and some digressions that slowed the pace at parts. These digressions were stuff I didn't find interesting (extended descriptions of scenes, more than I ever wanted to know about what route Harry was driving through LA, what Harry is thinking, etc.) Otherwise, another good addition to the series.

I absolutely love this story! As bad as it sounds, Raynard Waits is one of my favorite bad guys in the Bosch stories. He is a serial killer, but his past wasn't the best, and one can easily feel sorry for him and his actions. The Garlands and all others who go around the system are the disgusting ones. Cops, rich people, and the like who use the legal system to literally get away with murder are despicable. Waits was just an orphan, who fought to survive then sadly, killed his mother over and over. Next to THE POET, this was an excellent read.

"Echo Park" (2006) is the 12th in Michael Connelly's best-selling Harry Bosch series of mystery novels. The series, Los Angeles-set police procedurals, looks at life on the "noir" side; Connelly is a former crime beat reporter for the Los Angeles Times, who certainly earned his spurs in murder while earning his daily bread. His recent standalones, The Scarecrow,The Brass Verdict, and The Lincoln Lawyer, have all been #1 New York Times Bestsellers.Crime Beat: A Decade of Covering Cops and Killers, a non-fiction collection of his journalism, was also a New York Times bestseller, as most of his previous standalones have been, too.

The book at hand is a strong one, with a complex, multi-layered plot, though it does rely too heavily on some pretty predictable, television-style clichés for me. It finds LAPD Detective Hieronymus Bosch returned to the police force, on the Open-Unsolved Unit, where he is still plugging away at a 1993 case he was unable to close at the time, the abduction and presumed murder of equestrienne Marie Gesto. Mind you, Bosch thinks he knows the murderer: he just hasn't got any evidence that would nail the man. But suddenly the detective receives a phone call from an assistant district attorney, Rick O'Shea, vying for the corner office. A heinous serial killer, Raynard Waits, whom nobody even knew was functioning, has been caught red-handed: he's ready to cop to several murders, including Gesto's, in order to escape the death penalty. Bosch is charged with pursuing matters for the Gesto case. In so doing, he will endanger his partner, Kiz Ryder; and again cross paths with Rachel Walling, FBI profiler; Jerry Edgar, his former partner, and Keisha Russell, LA Times reporter.

Connelly is a wonderful writer, my favorite among American mystery authors, and I've read all his books save "Scarecrow." (Like many other readers, I imagine, I prefer his series works to his standalones: like many other writers, his mysteries seem more powerful if they are filtered through the sensibilities of his favorite detective protagonist.) At any rate, Connelly's plots drive like Mack trucks; furthermore, they are tight, complex, and resonant. His dialog snaps, his narrative writing is terse and witty. He explicates his love of jazz as he goes. And his descriptive writing: well, it's heartfelt, written by a man in love with a city, and it's so precise that a stranger could find his way around LA, his adopted hometown, with a few of his books as guides. This is a strong entry in the Bosch series, though it is not as deeply felt as some, and therefore, not the strongest. Still worth reading if you enjoy his work.

This is my second Harry Bosch novel and it was as enjoyable as the first one. In this one, a killer is caught and out of left field, confesses to a cold case crime Harry couldn't solve. Harry beats himself up over missing the clues until he starts to smell a rat.

Even though the author lives in Florida, he has an intimate knowledge of the geography of downtown Los Angeles. Since I was born in the area, I can relate to the locations and descriptions even if I haven't lived there in many decades. He also has that intimate knowledge of police procedures, whether accurate or not. I wouldn't know, but taking him at his word, he sounds accurate enough that I never had to suspend my disbelief. With all that said, this was another quick read and kept me glued to my seat.

He writes in a very clean third-person style with no noticeable head-hopping. His narrative never bogs down the story and he provides plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. I'm not one to try to second-guess the author. However, I've read a few stories where you could drive a truck through the plot holes. I didn't have any issues with this story. It was a very fun read. Highly recommended.

From my books review blog, [...]:

Michael Connellys famous detective, Harry Bosch, delves back into a murder thirteen years prior that takes him on a merry-go-round of interviews, evidence and mystery. Who are the real good guys and bad guys? Are your best friends cold-blooded killers?

Michael Connelly creates a fantastic character that has spawn numerous other books in the series. Harry Bosch has been written as a well rounded character, with both good points and bad points, with his flaws for everyone to see. He's not written as a superman type of frontman. Rather, he's written as someone you would love to have coffee or a beer with.

In Echo Park, a young woman disappeared, only her car and a few belongings were ever found in an abandoned car in an apartment complex's empty garage. Harry keeps coming back to the same case, the same characters and the same outcomes. Now there is a reason to reopen the decade plus case. This may be the case that does Harry in with guilt.

Hats off to Michael Connelly for creating a believable storyline and a beloved character. Hopefully readers will love my Novels as well as his have been.

Retirement didn't sit too well with Harry Bosch, ex-LAPD homicide detective, and after two years of combining his pension with occasional private investigations, he's thrown up his hands and come back to the force, working cold cases in the Open-Unsolved Unit. And he's paired with one of his partners from his previous life who is everything he's not -- young, black, female, gay, and computer-literate. One of the cases Harry goes back to whenever he has a moment is one of his own unsolved homicides, the disappearance of a young woman from the parking lot of a riding stable where she exchanged stable labor for riding time. There was a suspect he liked, but he's never come up with a single bit of evidence. Then, quite accidentally, a couple of patrolmen stop a man in a van and discover a couple of bags filled with body parts. They weren't looking for him, didn't even know of his existence, so it seems like gravy. Then, to escape the death penalty, the suspect offers to confess, with details, to nine other murders -- again, crimes the police weren't even aware had been committed -- and one of them is Harry's unsolved case. He deals himself in on the interrogation, and on the first "field trip" to uncover a body. And then everything hits the fan and the admitted serial killer is at large again. Harry is not having a good week. That's not even to mention the political side of things. This is one of the author's better efforts among his recent output, with Harry making mistakes and misjudgments, feeling guilty about how he has handled things, and even hooking up again with Special Agent Rachel Walling. The plot holds together nicely and the final resolution is one you won't see coming. (Or at least I didn't.)

"Echo Park" is Michael Connelly's latest police procedural featuring Harry Bosch, one of the most tenacious detectives in Los Angeles. Harry is working with his partner, Kiz Rider, in the Open-Unsolved Unit after returning from an unsatisfying retirement. One of the cases that he has never forgotten involved the disappearance of a young woman named Marie Gesto back in 1993. Although thirteen years have passed since Marie was abducted, her body was never found; Harry revisits the file whenever he can to search for new evidence. Although he believes that she is long dead, Harry would like to bring Marie's body home to her parents so that they can finally lay her to rest.

Harry is shocked when he receives a call from Detective Freddy Olivas, in Northeast Division Homicide, requesting everything that Bosch has on Gesto. It seems that Rick O'Shea, who runs the Special Prosecutions Section of the District Attorney's Office, has struck a deal with a convict named Raynard Waits, known as the "Echo Park Bagman". Waits was stopped in his van with the body parts of two young women whom he had strangled and dismembered. O'Shea is willing to spare Waits from the death penalty if he leads the authorities to the grave of Marie Gesto, whom Waits claims was one of his victims, and provides information on other unsolved homicides. Harry reluctantly goes along with the plan, although his gut instinct tells him that it is a very bad idea.

This is an intricately plotted and carefully crafted novel that demonstrates once again why Connelly is one of the best in the business. Bosch is one of Connelly's indelible creations. He is a skeptical and cranky cynic who believes that the ends justify the means. Harry is known as a cowboy who bends the rules and flouts authority whenever it suits him. However, he has gotten away with his shenanigans because he is a sharp detective who is known for getting results when others have failed.

Before he questions Waits, Harry decides to call an old flame, FBI Agent Rachel Walling, to help him construct a psychological profile. After working together for a short while, Harry and Rachel discover that they still have feelings for one another. However, Bosch is a prototype of the lonely cop who has difficulty sustaining a long-term relationship. What woman would want to live with a man so driven that he never stops thinking about murder and so reckless that he repeatedly puts himself in the line of fire without backup?

This book has scenes of horrifying cruelty, quite a few surprises and red herrings, and a detailed and authentic account of how detectives meticulously work a case. The dialogue is sharp, clever, and peppered with colorful police jargon, the characters are vividly depicted, and the conclusion is both suspenseful and poignant. Connelly brings freshness to such well-worn themes as the ways in which politics and greed pervert the criminal justice system and the terrible emotional and physical toll paid by homicide detectives who take their cases home with them. Aside from its excellence as a great detective story, "Echo Park" is notable for its many poetically written passages that encapsulate important truths succinctly. For example, One of Bosch's mentors, Ray Vaughn "had a special sympathy for . . .'murder's nobodies,' the victims who didn't count. He taught Bosch early on that in society all victims are not created equal, but to the true detective they must be." Harry Bosch certainly lives by that credo. He is willing to do anything to insure that no murder victim is ever forgotten.

The ultimate compliment that can be paid to a book is when you want to put it down, not because it's bad, but because it's so good that you don't want it to end. Some authors achieve this on a one-time basis. A lucky few do it sporadically, but it's a rare handful that can do it almost every time. Michael Connelly is one of that elite group, and Echo Park is another one of those books.

In Echo Park, series character Harry Bosch is busy working cold homicide cases when he gets a call from a politically ambitious prosecutor, Rick O'Shea (yes, the humor in the name is noted). O'Shea has serial killer Raynard Waits in custody, and one of the crimes he is confessing to is the decade-plus old disappearance (and most likely murder) of Marie Gesto. This is a case that Harry originally investigated and has haunted him through the years: although he had a suspect, he could never get enough for an arrest. Waits, however, was never even considered.

O'Shea wants Bosch to interview Waits as part of a potential avoid-execution plea deal. During the research, it comes out that Bosch and his then-partner missed a clue regarding Waits, a revelation that has Bosch reeling: his negligence could have cost other women their lives. This guilt hurts him, but also makes him more determined. With the assistance of recurring Connelly character (and one-time Bosch love interest) Rachel Walling of the FBI, Harry will come up with information that not only indicates Waits may not be all he seems, but also the possibility that Waits is part of a grander conspiracy. When Waits escapes (killing a couple cops in the process), an intellectual/legal exercise becomes desperately real.

I want to say that Echo Park is Connelly at the top of his game, but he is rarely in any other place. This is another top-notch mystery, filled with both suspense and plot twists. Although it helps to have read other Connelly novels first, it is not essential. Even if you're new to the Bosch books, this one will be pleasure to read.

I have quickly become a fan of Michael Connelly and his Harry Bosch novels, and I've been listening to them on audio book (out of sequence). I've enjoyed all of them, but Echo Park was especially gripping and well written. This was one of those mysteries I could not figure out but was desperate to have unraveled, and that desire propelled me along through the story. Connelly once more proves his worth as a master of misdirection, keeping me guessing and off balance until the end, when the satisfying conclusion was delivered. Also noteworthy was the character Rennard Waits, a crafty, formidable adversary who gave Harry quite a run- not to mention the politician prosecutor O'Shea, who uses a completely different type of manipulation to achieve his ends. As is generally the case with these Bosch novels, the pacing is excellent, the dialogue crisp and fitting, and the mystery enjoyable. As always, the reader/narrator did a fantastic job with this book!

Harry Bosch had been working for the LAPD's open unsolved unit, although there were many endless cases through the years unresolved, it was one case in particular that had been haunting him. Bosch remained transfixed by it, pulling the file several times a year in the hope to discover some new information, something missed, a fresh lead, just anything, wanting more than ever to give closure to this victim's parents and also to himself, but the criminal remains still at large, one who still walks the streets and this makes Bosch nervous.

In 1993 an unknown man abducted a 22 year girl, her name Marie Gesto, she had been missing since that year not seen nor found. The most chilling factor of the case was her clothes, the ones she had been wearing at the time of her abduction, they were in the back of her car when found but what was even more disturbing was how incredibly neatly folded they were, like she had excepted to return to put them back on at some point. Bosch feared the worst, he felt she was long dead and he was now only searching for her remains.

Present day, Raynard Waits had been picked up in the early hours of the morning near Echo Park, he had been stopped by chance and mistake by the LAPD, on closer inspection of his van they had discovered a dismembered body in the back wrapped in plastic bags. Waits was arrested and questioned being caught red handed he decided to come clean for a bargining plead more victims names in exchange for his life in prison and not death, in the fanarley of names Marie Gesto came to light. Bosch being a lead on the old case is sent to question the killer to see if his lying. Waits is very intelligent, he had lived under the radar for more than ten years without being caught and still he continues to play mind games to get into everybody's head. Bosch came to realize, this is a man who has held a secret so great for so long that it has driven him to be more daring and dangerous so that he could never stop.

It is the little mistakes that a criminal makes, that open the door to the psychology and so to the mind. Slowly the mistakes begin to show but something else is going on the paperwork from the file had gone missing and replaced with forged documentation, the psychological games were being played out internally, why and where do the lies begin and end. Bosch decides to hold an investigation for himself but what is he about to stumble into, could this whole investigation be to cover a political connection, if it was, who was being lined up to take a fall.

This was wonderful, before this book I had not read any of the Harry Bosch series and this made no difference, you could easily fall totally engrossed in this book from the start it grips. I thoroughly enjoy the Psychology of the whole book I found it very interesting with all different angles weaving throughout, the Characters were very vivid and well drawn out. Congratulations to Michael Connelly on a fascinating and reverting read, you have won another fan of your writing and I'll eagerly await the next book.

A.Bowhill

When it comes to crime mysteries, Michael Connelly has few equals. His novels are clever, well-plotted, well-written, and authentically detailed.

In "Echo Park" Connelly's favorite protagonist, Harry Bosch, is back again as part of the Open-Unsolved team with the LAPD. The story opens with a plea bargain underway from Raynard Waits, a serial killer who is destined for death row unless he agrees to lead police to the bodies of his other victims. One is an unsolved murder that goes back to 1993 when Bosch was covering the Hollywood homicide beat. When Waits takes police directly to the body in a remote wooded area and provides other details of the killing, there is little doubt that he's the man. But when details of the case emerge that suggest Bosch missed a critical clue back in 1993 that might have brought the killer to justice, he struggles to grapple with the implications of his oversight that allowed Waits to remain free for the next 13 years and commit nine additional murders.

Having read most of the novels in the Bosch series, I know that Connelly likes to throw around quite a few TLAs (Three-letter acronyms) showing his knowledge of police department inner-workings. I've also learned that just about every installment in the Bosch series can be counted on to give us certain ingredients, which I'll describe with a few TLAs of my own: IDPs (Intra-Department Politics), OORs (On-again Off-again romances), APTs (Abundant Plot Twists), MITs (Maverick Investigation Techniques), and TQSs (Three-Quarter Solutions).

In particular, I like Connelly's TQSs - his predictable pattern of revealing most of the mystery about three-quarters of the way through the book, but then saving a number of twists and gotchas until the very end. Connelly is a consummate weaver of mysteries that leave us guessing while also revealing just enough of the solution, and this formula is one of the things that make his novels so much fun to read.

Connelly brings together several of his familiar cast members for this book: Bosch's partner Kizmin Rider, his old partner Jerry Edgar, his one-time flame Rachael Walling, and even a reappearance by Mr. Chrome Dome himself - Irvin Irving - just as determined as ever to knock down Bosch a few rungs. In addition to the usual intra-departmental politics, Connelly introduces some other politics into the plot that take this outside the LAPD offices and into the halls of city government as well.

As usual, the bad guys don't get away and Connelly had me guessing until nearly the end at who those bad guys were.

All in all, another highly enjoyable read from one of the very best authors in this genre.

As a closing note, if you are new to Michael Connelly, let me suggest that you read the 10 or 11 books that are part of the Harry Bosch series in chronological order. Although each books stands on its own, reading them in order is much more satisfying in terms of character development.

I've read all seventeen of Michael Connelly's crime novels, and many of them represent the very best the genre has to offer. ECHO PARK is his twelfth novel featuring his main hero, LAPD Homicide Detective Harry Bosch. This novel is very well done, and I think it's definitely one of the better entries in the series.

I won't rehash the plot of ECHO PARK, but it involves a serial killer who has made a confession that Bosch has problems believing. His ensuing investigation puts him at odds with his department, as well as certain political forces in the city. There are a lot of twists and turns in the plot, and I was taken by surprise a number of times. Connelly is a genuinely great storyteller, and this book is quite an enjoyable page turner.

My only major criticism of ECHO PARK is that Connelly is beginning to repeat himself. This book has a solid story, but it eventually evolves into a "Bosch versus the department" conflict that we have seen many times before. I also found the romantic subplot to be contrived and its outcome predictable. In addition, I was not a big fan of the final plot twist -- I can't say more without giving the story away.

Connelly has a winning formula with the Bosch books, but I would like to see him take a few more chances with the character, instead of playing it safe. I realize it's difficult to keep a series fresh after twelve novels, and I think Connelly has largely succeeded in doing this. Still, there is part of me that would like to see Bosch retire (he's almost 60) and for Connelly to move on with brand new characters.

If you're new to Michael Connelly, I strongly advise you to read the Bosch series in order, starting with THE BLACK ECHO. That will maximize your enjoyment and make you fully appreciate the relationships that develop throughout the series. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed this novel as much if I hadn't read the previous eleven books.

In short, ECHO PARK is highly enjoyable, especially for long-term Connelly fans such as myself. Highly recommended.

With the 2005 passing of my favorite writer, Ed McBain, whose 87th precinct novels kept me entertained for decades, I can only hope another continuing series can grip me the same way as some sort of a replacement. Right now, Michael Connelly is looking like the man who just might step in. His detective Harry Bosch series has been a very pleasant find for me. Even if this is only the fourth book of his I've read and just the third Bosch novel, "City of Bones" and "The Closers" being the other two, "Echo Park" has me not only excited about moving forward but perhaps going back a bit in order to understand the characters better.

The novel starts out in 1993 with Bosch involved in the case of a missing young woman. We are brought into what might be a break in the case only to see it lead to nothing. Flash forward to the present and we learn that not only was no one ever arrested in connection with the crime but a body was never recovered either. Bosch is then told an already convicted murderer is going to confess to some unsolved crimes, the 1993 case among them, as part of a deal to get his death sentence reduced to life. Sounds nice and tidy, right? Not so fast. Before long, what looks to be a simple open and shut case gets extremely complex. Political intrigue, more killings, Bosch not knowing who to trust, and an exciting manhunt all become part of the mix.

I can not say that I liked this more than "The Closers," the previous Bosch novel, but "Echo Park" kept me enthralled. The pacing seemed a bit slower than "Closers" and there are a lot of characters from previous Bosch novels, some of which I have not read, that might get new readers a bit overwhelmed. As others have mentioned, the ending is not as tidy as some might like but I think that is just Connelly's way of keeping things moving forward. I find that living in Los Angeles adds so much to these stories since the locations come to life and Connelly's comments and subtle jokes about the city ring true.

I found this book very enjoyable and I am excited about the further adventures of good old (or maybe even bad old, given a character questions his real motivations for getting so deeply involved) Harry. I think this novel can be enjoyed if you have never read Connelly before but it might be even better if you've already been "Bosch-ed."

I place "Echo Park" slightly below "Concrete Blonde" in the three Bosch books I've read so far. Even a fairly novice reader of the series can see some recurring patterns in theme and Harry himself. Not that there's anything wrong with that! Harry is an interesting enough character, and who can resist his relentless push against the forces of evil, corruption, and the underside of humanity? When Harry is sent home after the key incident in the novel, we naturally know that Harry will not go quietly while the action plays out around him and the bad guys can continue unchallenged.

Connelly has created another suitably disgusting killer, even though he is not in that much of the book. In fact, that relates to one of my slightly negative observations: "Echo Park" has more talk and less action than I expected. Much of the first half is recalling history with the Gesto case and general dialog among the parties. Past crimes are described. Not much happens until a scene with Waits under interrogation and the field trip that triggers the rest of the story.

The pace and interest pick up after the field trip, once Harry swings into action. Harry is especially motivated because of the old Gesto case, the situation with his partner, the makings of a corrupt deal, and perhaps worst of all, his conclusion that he was played for the fool.

The conclusion was a bit lame, with not everything resolved. Once the end was in sight, some predictable events and tie-ins occurred. Surprisingly to me, a few people got completely off the hook. Harry might even have been disappointed in not reeling in them, too. It's probably better to have some characters just be moderately bad or stupid instead of having too many people who are completely corrupt. LA isn't that bad (I hope). The motivation of a key individual still did not seem sufficient to have been a key force in the crimes, helping to cause that "lame" feeling.

Harry Bosch never worked on solving a crime that he didn't want to successfully close. In Echo Park, Michael Connelly takes us into Harry's past to explore the disappearance of Marie Gesto who was on her way to work at a stable in exchange for rides. Thirteen years have passed. Harry has a suspect, but there's nothing to pin him down. In fact, Harry has been subject to a restraining order keeping him away from the suspect when the suspect's lawyer isn't present.

Suddenly, Harry gets a call that a serial killer has offered to lead the police to Gesto's body in exchange for a life sentence. In exchange for getting access to the file, Harry is invited into the interview and eventually into the body search. To help him figure out how to assess this proffer, Harry asks Rachel Walling to secretly help him. Their personal relationship resumes as well.

It's a sick-at-heart Harry, though, because the murder book on Gesto shows that Harry's former partner had missed an opportunity to get the serial killer 13 years earlier. Can he live with this guilt? How could he have missed this lead?

The story goes on from there to unveil a murder mystery of tantalizing difficulty. The red herrings are outstanding, and you'll have a hard time unraveling this one. The story is also filled with lots of action which makes the book more appealing than the typical police procedural. The story also delves deeply into Bosch's past to reveal important aspects of his character in clearer ways than in past stories.

I was captivated by Len Cariou's reading of the book. He made the emotions of the characters seem very real. I was deeply engaged in this book as I listened and couldn't wait to get to the end.

If you are reading this review and have not yet read all of the preceding books in this series, what I would highly suggest is that you start with the first in this series and work your way from there. Its not that you will need to have read the books to enjoy 'echo park', its instead that the character Bosch has gone through so changes and the stories that Connelly tells have evolved over time and its a worth while way to spend your time in seeing how an author at the top of his genre game does it.

Bosch as a character has stayed pretty even keel over the years. Much has happened to him over time, he's solved a lot of cases, but essentially he is the same old Bosch. This is the one thing that I find fault with. When you compare Bosch to other great fictional noir characters like Matt Scudder (created by Lawrence Block), Bosch is a little thin when it comes to character development. But aside from that, when you open up a Connelly book, you expect an escapist thriller, and Connelly usually serves up the works.

Echo Park concerns the story of a serial killer who wants to confess to several past murders in order to avoid the 'hit of Jesus Juice' he has coming to him. He was caught with a couple of dead girls in his van and the only way to avoid his fate is to bargain with the DA. One of the girls he admits to is a part of Bosch's cold case files. Bosch has been working these files on his own or as part of the force for several years and several books. When he interviews the killer about the case, everything checks out, but something has Boschs mind figuring that the deal is not Kosher. Thats where the story really takes off and Connelly spins a story that is pretty complex and unexpected.

This is not the best Bosch book by any means. Still it was better than when he was going after a master mind a few books back that turned the story into an almost Hollywood comic book. Instead this book has many layers of subtle resonance. The last fault I feel that sticks out like a sore thumb is in the ending, so I wont go into detail on that. Its just the person behind everything that goes on is a little bit of a reach and it is too unexpected in that the said character was not in any real way built up character wise to be the culprit. Ahh, small grievances.

OK, four stars should be 4.5 and the only slight demerit in Connelly's case is because the bar is set so high. This is another wonderful Harry Bosch book. At one point, Bosch mentions how he wants to take an idea and grind it into powder and examine it under a microscope. I thought that was a perfect description of exaclty how Connelly approaches his writing. Every step, thought, movement and moment in sure, steady hands. This takes the words 'police procedural' down to sub-atomic particles. You couldn't point to one sentence and say 'wow.' It's the accumulation of detail and how hard both Connelly (and Bosch) must work to get it right. The pleasure comes from riding along with Bosch and watching his mind work, analzying the details of the case and how he handles his own miscues, particularly with the politics of the cop world. "Echo Park" has a nifty series of layers to it and the peaks of action and plot keep rising in a natural way, one on top of the other. The only slight problem is the puppeteer behind the whole script is pretty easy to spot and for the scene in the swimming pool near the end just didn't quite ring true. Nonetheless, a model of clean, driven prose.

There is nobody, and I mean nobody who writes this genre better than Connelly. He doesn't muck up Bosch's life with unrealistic actions or relationships. I thought he was coming too close to it with Walling, but thankfully he let Bosch be who he really is...a flawed man, an honorable yet somewhat unhonorable cop, and a great detective. I was glad it was nearly pure storyline, without the ex-wife and daughter present as well. I don't want to see Connelly take Bosch the Lucas Davenport route.

The story is one that at the beginning just eats at a mother (me) - a child killed and the killer never found. One could absorb the frustration Bosch had felt throughout the long years of the investigation. The emotional tragedy he felt. It was compelling.

Connelly is the best of anyone at capturing the essence of personalities of the different policemen who deal with Harry. Nakamura was a photograph to me by the time Connelly gets through with him. All the characters are sparingly, yet very effectively drawn. I love that about Connelly. And again, the political life of being a cop is revealed.

This is a really, really, really good book. I would have given it 4-1/2 stars because I found the lead-up to the end just a tad overdone and a bit unbelievable maybe (the cops not imagining the restroom scene happening), but I was fascinated with this book the entire time I was listening.

I can't wait to meet Bosch again.

Michael Connelly is unquestionably one of the best authors of crime fiction and Echo Park is yet another solid thriller from an author who rarely disappoints.

Connelly's experience as a crime beat reporter has given him an insight into police work (and specifically the political bureaucracy of the LAPD) that gives the Harry Bosch novels an authentic feel that is rare in the genre. As usual, Harry operates just outside the parameters of police guidelines to bring down the killer in a case that has haunted Harry for more than a decade.

Echo Park is a well crafted, hard driving page turner. Connelly continues to add depth to the character of Harry Bosch. Where some authors have `jumped the shark' with their franchise characters, creating convoluted and unlikely story lines in a pathetic and futile effort to keep their characters fresh, Connelly has remained true to Bosch's character.

Harry's dogged police work uncovers the truth and the conspiracy in the end, although admittedly, it takes a lot of luck for Bosch to get his man in Echo Park.

Echo Park makes other run-of-the mill police procedural novels pale by comparison. This novel ranks among Connelly's best - which is saying something.

Back from retirement, Detective Harry Bosch is still haunted by the kidnap and disappearance of Marie Gesto from 1993. Now serial killer Raynard Waits is willing to lead police to Marie's grave as part of a plea bargain ensuring he will not receive the death penalty. When Waits escapes during the outing and the tape filming the event is obviously doctored, Harry suspects politics and career advancement are involved and that, perhaps, Waits hadn't killed Marie after all but only been told how to find her grave.

The bones of this book reflect the usual excellent quality of Connelly's writing. It has an interesting plot, Harry operating slightly outside the regulations, and descriptive, if slightly predictable, suspenseful scenes. The references to Harry's past always make his an interesting character, particularly in the parallels to the killer. What set the book back, for me, was the focus on the political mechanisms and the ending with it's classic conflict of legality versus justice. There was also a major thread left dangling at the end. While this was a more-than-good representation of Connelly, it was definitely not his best work.

Harry Bosch, senior detective for the LAPD does it up again in this action packed thriller. Upon retirement, Harry discovers one of the pitfalls of a lifestyle that is supposed to be anything but anxiety ridden; too much time to ponder life's mistakes. Unfortunately, unsolved cases, from Harry's perspective, do not provide that feeling of calm.

One case in point is a 1993 abduction and apparant murder of a young woman whose body has never been found. Rather than spend countless hours off the clock Harry rejoins the force in an attempt to finally solve this case and put his mind at ease.

A psycopath, Raynard Waits, is found in a van with a bag containing body parts of two victims. It isn't long before Waits confesses to the "Marie Gesto" case as well after being promised a reduced sentence, from death to life imprisonment, by the soon to be DA.

But why offer a reduced sentence to a creep who will most likely get the death sentence anyway. This and many other quesions about the alleged perpetrator keep Bosch and FBI agent girlfriend Rachel Walling from sleeping well nights.

Connelly does it again. This is my fourth Connelly novel and they keep getting better and better.

The disappearance of Marie Gesto has haunted Harry Bosch since 1993. Bosch, now in charge of the Open-Unsolved Unit, has the file on his desk when he gets news that accused murderer Raynard Waits has confessed to killing her.

Bosch is given the job of getting close to the killer and making sure there is truth to his confession, but a sudden act of violence leaves several people dead, and the killer on the loose.

Faced with the news that he may have overlooked an important clue in the Gesto case, and that he is being held solely responsible for Waits escaping, Bosch must do everything in his power to stop a sadistic killer.

'Echo Park' is classic Connelly; masterful plotting, breakneck pacing, sharp dialogue, and enough twists to keep you turning pages all-night-long. Carefully balancing character, and plot, Michael Connelly expertly lays the plot set-up over the first hundred pages, and then has the novel explode in a tension-filled ride of catch the killer, while his main character (Bosch) battles his own demons...Readers will not be able to put this down.

A MUST read!

Nick Gonnella

This is about my fourth or fifth Harry Bosch novels and the author never fails to deliver. Harry working in the Cold Case Division of the LAPD is haunted by a woman's disappearance that he had never solved. He periodically takes out the file and reviews it and re-interviews all the contacts. Harry was always sure that the son of a rich lawyer was the culprit but could never pin the crime on him.

One day the LAPD captures an apparent serial killer who claims he had killed the woman Harry was searching for and will lead police to her buried remains. Harry is devastated because he was so sure that the other guy was guilty. Harry and a group of detectives are led to the remains and during the "field trip" the killer escapes. Harry suspects that there is a conspiracy involved and he must solve the mystery and catch the killer before anyone is harmed. The only problem is that Harry is on temporary suspension (did that ever stop him before) and is forbidden from being involved with the case.

As usual the author brilliantly lets the story unfold as Harry methodically tracks down every lead and races to save another victim.

Settling in with a new Harry Bosch book by Michael Connelly is like getting together with an old, close friend you haven't seen in a long while. Harry is still with LAPD's Open-Unsolved Unit along with his partner, Kiz Ridder. Returning to the police force after a short, unsatisfying retirement, Harry still looks at cases from long ago, cases that he had a hand in, but were never solved.

One of these files concerns Marie Gesto, a 22 year old woman, who disappeared in 1993. Her car was found in an apartment garage, her clothes neatly folded and stacked on the front seat. The case has bothered Harry for 13 years,

Now there's a break: Reynard Waits was stopped for a traffic violation in the Echo Park area. The officers spotted a plastic bag dripping blood and arrested him. The dismembered remains of two young women were stuffed in the bag. Reynard Waits, through his eminent criminal defense attorney, Maury Swann, has struck a deal with the fast-rising, ambitious prosecutor Rick O'Shea. Waits will lead officers to the body of Marie Gesto and seven other murder victims in return for life in prison instead of a death sentence.

This doesn't sit well with Bosch, who is a smart, cynical, jaded cop out for justice. But Harry will follow orders. Taken to a remote site, Waits leads a police team to the burial place of Marie Gesto - and then escapes, killing two officers and wounding Kiz Ridder, Harry's partner.

Now the real chase begins. Harry suspects a set-up. The prosecutor, who is running for District Attorney, is a prime suspect in Harry's mind, especially so when Harry learns that he has taken campaign contributions from one of the sleazier guys in town, a man whose son Harry had pegged for the Gesto murder more than a dozen years ago.

Waits has kidnapped another woman and Harry is desperate to find him before he murders again. Along for the ride is Rachael Walling, an FBI agent who was once a criminal profiler.

Things start getting sticky. It looks like Harry's partner - and Harry - missed a major clue in 1993 that might have led them to Waits before he murdered seven more women. But nothing feels right to Harry. There's something wrong.

Much of the book is taken up with Harry's very intensive investigation of Waits who is more than meets the eye; the shifting suspicions of who is corrupt; Harry's relationship with Walling. There's not a dull page in this book, maybe not even a dull paragraph. Connelly keeps the action moving as Harry turns one rock over after another. To say more would give away too much of the story and I'm not about to do that.

Heavy readers will be amused by Connelly's affectation of giving minor characters the names of other genre authors, like Duane Swierczynski, who has written an excellent noir thriller "The Wheelman".

If you like police procedurals, you'll love Michael Connelly and Harry Bosch. If you simply enjoy good, suspenseful writing, you'll love them as well.

Jerry

Few in the trade have Connelly's juice these days. His books are Top 10 staples (this should be his second straight #1), and they have some staying power. He's surpassed Parker in both laydown size and run time, which is no mean feat; and become a true heavyweight, genre not withstanding.

Of course, Connelly's most-loved creation is Harry Bosch, evangelist of truth. Head down, shoulders back, loins girded, he is the Everyman avenger. He speaks for those of us that can't, to a system geared to shut out such noise. As longtime readers know, "everyone counts, or no one counts." The philosophy by which Bosch has always been driven, is the reason he's so at home in his current assignment, the Open/Unsolved division of the LAPD.

In Echo Park, Bosch is back into a case he never really left alone, the 1993 murder of Marie Gesto. It's one of the cases that haunted Bosch to the point when he left the force briefly (a period recounted in Lost Light and The Narrows), he copied the file and worked the case as a citizen. It was now in his regular rotation of unsolved cases to review and suffer over. So much so that a suspect in the case acquired a restraining order against Bosch's later inquires.

So when he gets a call from another division, and is informed of a confession, the game is on. Harry and his partner, the mighty Kiz Rider head over to another division and interview one Reynard Waits. The confession is the story of a serial killer in bloom--from random attack and kill during the LA Riots, to the abduction and murder of Marie Gesto, to finally a much more organized series of killings.

As Bosch begins to dig into the case file's newest elements, an archival report is discovered in the official case file that casts serious doubt onto the thoroughness of Bosch's original investigation. Like Bosch needs any more weight on his shoulders, right? Not only that, but the confessor, Reynard Waits, is willing to take Bosch to the one thing he could never find; the remains of Marie Gesto. At this point, Bosch is doubting everything, including his own instincts.

During an elaborately-planned excursion into the woods, there is, as you might expect, trouble, and Waits escapes into those woods.

Connelly puts Bosch through about every kind of wringer you can imagine in Echo Park, and to great effect. One of the things I love about the guy is the way he just hammers his way through both of the key protagonists in his life; the suspects, and the bureaucracy. Both forces conspire to keep Bosch from his mission, making sure everyone counts. So we as reader's see Bosch's struggle on both sides dragging him down, eroding his instincts, testing his faith.

In Echo Park, he's aided by FBI agent Rachel Walling, who has become a staple in Connelly's world. First encountered in The Poet, the well-traveled agent is now based in LA, and her past with Harry brings her into the action as confidante. She also brings some welcome light into Harry's life. Because God knows he needs some.

If there is light, there must be darkness, and in Raynard Waits, Connelly delivers another black hole of depravity, right up there with Robert (The Poet) Backus. As Harry and Rachel track him down, I felt the despair created by Waits' evil.

Connelly uses the story elements here to really make a stand about where Harry is now. Everything from his Viet Nam tunnel-rat days to his eternal nemesis, the hated Irvin Irving, is woven into the proceedings to wind up the reader into a knotted rope of anxiety as he builds to a sweaty finish.

Echo Park is largely a journey of self-doubt for Harry Bosch. He is bombarded by it on many fronts, and the way he deals with it results in both success and failure, in large scale.

Connelly has re-defined Bosch with all the qualities and flaws we already knew he had. If that sounds a bit circuitous, it won't after you finish the book. There are also major "series events" that immediately give it a new status quo. A left, then a right.

That's what a heavyweight does....

Having read this series in order, I haven't been disappointed yet, which is saying a lot for a series. Usually they loose their appeal and grow stale, not this series. Harry Bosch is an ever changing character, he's gone from tunnel rat, to cop, to retirement, and now he's back out of retirement. Here he's in the open/unsolved unit trying to solve a 13 year old disappearance, when a serial killer decides to divulge the victims whereabouts in order to avoid the death penalty. Seems open and shut, but we all know that's not possible in Harry's world. Thus, another action packed, clue busting case that puts Harry in danger, and of course makes him a few more enemies. Never a dull moment and well worth the reading time.

This is my first book written by Michael Connelly (I know, I am late to the party.) I am a fan of John Sanford's books which are written in a similar vein. I think this book is superior to any of the Sanford books I have read.

At no time during my read, did I lose interest. The writing was very interesting with a rich plot. I thought the characters were easily identifiable and interesting. I especially thought that Harry Bosch was a very complex character - easily angered to the point of horrific anger to a person of incredible depth of caring for people (i.e. Sharkey).

I am now on a mission to read all the Harry Bosch series in order. Thanks to my local library district for having them available. It is nice to get something for the property taxes we pay.

Harry Bosch had always been haunted by a case he hadn't solved. For 13 years he had kept in touch with Marie Gesto's family, hoping someday to bring them the news of their daughter's fate and that the satisfaction that he had her killer in custody. Even during his brief retirement, Harry kept a copy of her murder book to review, always looking for the clue he had overlooked.

Back on the force and assigned to the Open-Unsolved Unit in the RHD, a break in the case comes from out of the blue. A recently captured serial killer has offered to show where Gesto's body is buried in exchange for his life. Bosch, ever the dark prince of police, is dubious, but becomes part of the interrogation team seeking to verify the killer's story.

If the one nightmare detectives all share is the missed clue, which allows a killer to go on killing, Harry is confronted with a murder book entry that suggests his then-partner Jerry Edgar failed to follow up on a call from the serial killer early in the investigation. Shell shocked and numb, Bosch presses on, still dubious that this is the real killer. When the suspect escapes while leading cops to Gesto's grave, two cops are killed and Bosch's new partner Kaz Ridder is in the ICU. Is this enough proof that the suspect did in fact kill Gesto? Not to Bosch who uses the events to bring finality to the case, in dramatic fashion.

I have repeatedly said Michael Connelly is the best mystery writer in the world today. Series characters can grow stale; writers can become "brands" rather than literary figures; and plots can get sloppy. Connelly escapes such malaise with each book displaying the master's careful and confident hand revealing his craft seemingly effortlessly. You know it is not effortless, and that Connelly has not just the gift, but the discipline to give his characters and plot substance and his readers joy.

Michael Connelly is one of the most reliable authors out there. When you buy a Connelly book, you know you'll get your money's worth out of it. But Echo Park goes above all that. In fact, it might very well be the best Connelly book I've read since Blood Work. And that's saying a lot.

Harry Bosch is back, still working for the unsolved cases unit. This dectective knows his way around a murder scene and investigation, and yet, sometimes, details slip through his fingers and he is unable to solve a case. The Mary Gesto murder case, which he came face to face with 13 years ago, is one of these. Ever since she disappeared, Bosch's instinct has told him that one very rich and powerful man is guilty of the crime. But he never had enough evidence to convict the man. 13 years later, the case remains unsolved.

But when a murderer called Waits is arrested, he confesses to the murder. Everyone is happy except Bosch. He knows that there is something wrong about this man's confession, but he simply can't put his finger on it. It is only once the man escapes custody (in a breathtaking and shocking scene) that the truth slowly unravels and that Bosch is able to make sense out of everything. Now, not only does Bosch has to find Waits before he kills again, he also has to find Gesto's real killer.

Connelly is without a doubt the best mystery author out there. When you start one of his books, you better do it when you have plently of time on your hands because you know you won't be able to put it down. But Echo Park was a great surprise, even for a Connelly novel. You never really know where the author is taking you. The moment you believe one thing, Connelly veers your in a completely different direction. You never know where this one his heading. And, for once, this mystery novel had me guessing until the very end. I couldn't figure out who the killer was. This is an intense mystery that feels fresh and powerful.

I am in awe of Michael Connelly. Usually, when a writer uses the same character time and time again, I get tired of always reading about the same person. But Bosch is different. He is hard-headed, far from perfect and he often lets his anger take over his common sense. He even makes mistakes that can become ruthfully dangerous. These flaws make him real and likeable in my book. Echo Park is one of Connelly's best. Don't miss it.

After a couple of bad books (or subpar) featuring Harry Bosch, first retiring from the LAPD, then re-uppingm giving our hero some of the Hamlet ambivalence that worked in Elizabethan drama but made Harry look wishy-washy. (Maybe that was the point, he's human.) Anyhow with relief I can report that ECHO PARK's a keeper.

Harry's pursuit of Anthony Garland a "person of interest" over many years is exactly the kind of case we had hoped he'd be involved in once he joined the Open and Unsolved Unit. The death of poor Marie Gesto has haunted Harry for years. Well, everything haunts Harry. He's superhaunted. If he leaves the lid off his jar of peanut butter in the morning, it haunts him all day till he can get back and screw it back in the evening while, in the background, the lights of LA twinkle in the distance and John Coltrane and thelonius Monk trade riffs at Carnegie Hall on the muted stereo. That's just the kind of guy he is. ECHO PARK plays this out so that for awhile we begin to think that Harry's gone too far in pursuit, and he might alienate Rachel Walling his on-again off-again love interest from books ago. He believes in the "way of the true detective," as Philip Marlowe might have said.

For me, the book was great, though I do think Harry's vaunted feeling for victims failed him about halfway through the book. We never do find out much about Marie Gesto, either in life or death. Out of all the victims in all of Connelly's thrillers, she is perhaps the least characterized. I wonder why she's such a cipher. Maybe, like a master balloonist, Connelly thought he had to throw some excess baggage over the side of the ship, and in this case it was going to be the back story of Marie Gesto. Other than this strange absence, ECHO PARK marks a happy return for the always busy Michael Connelly, back with the cop we love the best in all the world of crime fiction.

Detective Harry Bosch from LAPD is back trying to unravel a 13-year-old mystery which has haunted him since it happened, in connection with the disappearance of a young lady, Marie Gesto. Someone has recently been arrested and is allegedly going to indicate her whereabouts. In a whirl of politically connected events and fast-paced actions, Bosch tries to extricate the truth and is helped in this process by his close friend Rachel from the FBI. They will discover some uncomfortable truths and their lives, especially Bosch's, are consequently at stake.

This is yet another case where an the store "half mark" would be handy (3 1/2 stars), but as it is not possible, the mark goes back to 3 stars. I have read other books by the same author ("The Lincoln Lawyer", "Void Moon", "Lost Light" which I would generally rate with 4 stars), but I do not think this book deserved it in full. Although it was quite fast-paced and intriguing, I also found the plot to be a trifle too far-fetched, especially towards the end.

My reading through this novel was an uncontrollable erratic zippy locomotive rush to get to the end. After investing in the first few chapters, I was sucked head long into this rushing tunnel. It was like sliding down one of those tunnel tubes (in theme parks) about 4 floors high descending into the depths and finally splash into the swimming pool. There was not a page in this book where I felt that the momentum was dragging or where I felt the author was dragging his feet. Michael Connelly is a gem of an author. Other authors try to take a 200 page treatment and beef it up into a 600 pg omnibus. Not so for MC. His books are short, no mega omnibuses. Through out this book as is the case with his other Harry Bosch books, the vocab is simple, to the point. you dont get long paragraphs on the scenery, or the dimensions of a room. you dont get a million characteristic visual cues of what so and so looked like. There is no verbose explanation of cuisine for the gastronomically oriented. You normally have authors rendering pages of a 3 course meal and washing it down with wine etc etc and writing pages on the local scenery and architecture. Here in echo park, the restaurant sections are a few sentences. The room and surroundings is described in few details. The character is described to the point you can then imagine the rest. No scenery. No introspection. No long flashbacks (I hate flashbacks). No inner voices or characters thinking to themselves. you get simple plain no nonsense mystery, action, police procedure. Dialogue is non-prosaic and very believable, the way you would expect cops and people to take in real life. This is it. WOW !!!. There is enough said about the story in all these other reviews so I wont over do this. Harry is reworking unclosed cases from his past, a case he worked around 13 years ago concerning a murder of girl whose body was never found. Due to lack of discovery of any real hard evidence and due to the absence of the dead body, the case is gathering dust as an open case for the last 13 years. The book takes its first interesting turn when after all these years, a prisoner (caught red handed with dismembered bodies of 2 women in a bag) on trial confesses to the murder of this girl and many others to the disrict attorney and agrees to lead police to the bodies so that the victim's families have closure . This in exchange for life imprisonment instead of the death penalty. I dont want to reveal more. This book is delight to the sense. It is a very believable book with twists, and an amazing suspense buildup, plotting pace and mystery which never looses steam till the last page. I was wrong to have judge MC just by reading the poet and Void moon. He is so so so much better in the Harry Bosch universe. One of his non Harry Bosch books, "The lincoln lawer" has got rave reviews as well. I am going to read every Harry Bosch which MC puts out and every Non Harry Bosch MC novel as. This novel just me made a Harry Bosch/MC die hard fan.

regards, Vikram

Re: the audio book version; Enjoyed the story, though it's sometimes off-putting that the narrator frequently uses a NY accent when switching into supporting characters. Pretty odd for a series that takes place in Los Angeles... are all cops from New York?! Also, he generally uses a meek/old lady-sounding voice for female characters, even those who are tough law enforcement types.

It seems that Connelly can do no wrong, this is yet another tense and surprising entry in this series. Installment after installment Connelly proves to be a master of the police procedural, sending his likable characters into disturbing crimes and very intense situations. This installment feels particularly different for reasons I will not get into. It may not pack quite the emotional punch of some other installments but Echo Park's a very worthwhile read for a Harry Bosch fan. Not a bad place to start, either.

The villain's interesting and among the best in the series. That said, Rachel Walling, one of the best things about The Narrows, just seems almost unnecessary here, and I felt like her presence grinded the story to a halt. The plot itself is also a bit thin in the 1st half of the book, not really taking off until the mid-point.

That said, it's a great book....again, not the best in the series but up there.

When Harry Bosch retired from LAPD, one cold case haunted him. In 1993, twenty-two years old equestrian, Marie Gesto vanished; the assumption being she was kidnapped; ten days after her disappearance, her car containing clean folded clothing inside was found in an apartment building garage with no trace of her; the case went cold.

Harry has returned to LAPD having joined the Open-Unsolved Unit that brings back on duty former cops to work cold cases. Harry remains preoccupied with the Gesto disappearance and still believes that Anthony Garland, the son of an influential oilman, killed the young woman though he could never prove it. When the cops bust window cleaner Raynard Waits driving a vehicle carrying the body parts of two people he killed, he confesses to other murders including that of Gesto. Homicide Detective Freddy Olivas and prosecutor Rick O'Shea buy the confession as Waits knows things only the killer could know about the Gesto homicide; Harry feels otherwise that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts especially one odd entry in the case log from thirteen years ago that he swears was not there until a few days ago.

Michael Connelly is at his best with this exhilarating Bosch thriller that grips the audience from the moment that Waits confesses and never slows down until the final not obvious twist. The story line is action-packed and loaded with in fighting as Bosh does not trust the ethics of Olivas or O'Shea. Fans will appreciate this superior police procedural, one of the best of the year.

Harriet Klausner

In my quest to get all caught up with the Harry Bosch series, I just finished book #12, Echo Park. I'm trying to get caught up so I can read the latest, Nine Dragons, which just came out this month. There's only one book standing between me and the dragons and that's The Overlook, which I hope to read shortly. With Echo Park now under my belt, this puts the grand total of Michael Connelly books read by me at 18. This means that I've read more books by this author than any other author. Guess it's safe to say he's one of my favorites.

This is the second book that finds Harry working in LA's Open Unsolved Unit trying to close those "cold cases"...some of which have haunted him for years. This is really the perfect job for Harry Bosch as he considers himself a true detective...."one who takes it all inside and cares." In his world, "everybody counts or nobody counts." Whether the victim is a prostitute or a millionaire, they are all the same to Harry. This philosophy most likely dates back to Harry's own mother who was murdered while he was a young boy and her means of support was none other than prostitution. Harry would probably be a dream patient on a psychiatrist's couch, especially since he was able to make something out of his life after a very poor beginning. Connelly describes LA as a "sunny place with shady characters" and this statement really sets the tone for this book.

The Echo Park case is one Harry has been trying to close for many years. The victim, Marie Gesto, has never been found and Harry is presented with a deal whereby he will be led to her burial ground if only he will fall into play with the LA politico. Fans of Harry will know that he is not easily led down someone's else's path and, in this case, he will fight tooth and nail to stand his ground. Harry's partner, Kiz Rider, will be right by his side as he interrogates the so-called killer and the two of him will go on the field trip together, with the killer, to find Marie's body. This field trip is not your usual junior high trip to the zoo. It's a trip into the dark side from which some never return.

As with all of Connelly's books, I thought this one was well thought out. Connelly has a way of allowing the reader to enter Harry's mind and come up with some of the clues at the same time as he does. I did pick up one or two a little earlier than Harry did but I'm sure Connelly wanted it that way. I have to say that I have enjoyed reading these last few books in the Harry Bosch series back to back. When I finish these, I might just do this with one of the other series of which I find myself in the middle.

So now it's on to The Overlook. Just wait for me "Dragons".....I'm almost there.

At this point I've probably read about 3/4 of the Harry Bosch books, albeit completely out of order. The series has always been somewhat borderline for me -- I really love the level of detail and authenticity Connelly brings from his years as a crime reporter for the LA Times. However, the storylines tend to be a little too over the top, and Harry Bosch has never been that interesting a protagonist to me. This twelfth entry in the series is a great example of these strengths and weaknesses.

At this point in his career, Bosch is working the Open/Unsolved Unit with his partner Kiz Ryder. One thing likes to do as part of his open-ended duties is revisit past failures, reviewing all the evidence, keeping tabs of key players, and looking for new leads (something he also did during his brief retirement). One of these cases is the 13-year-old disappearance and presumed murder of Marie Gesto (whose apartment is in the distinctive building seen in the Robert Altman film The Long Goodbye). The book rewinds in time so that we get to see Bosch and his then partner Jerry investigate her disappearance and get nowhere. Over the years, Bosch's infamous instinct has led him to suspect the son of a local oil tycoon as the killer. However, with no evidence, he has never come close to being able to make a case.

Returning to the present, a lucky traffic stop results in the capture of a serial killer who admits to killing a number of women, including Marie Gesto. The hitch is that he will only confirm this by revealing the locations of his victims' corpses if the city's prosecutor agrees to drop the death penalty. The prosecutor and an LAPD detective are soon in touch with Bosch, seeking his case notes and cooperation in trying to determine if the serial killer really knows where the bodies are. Thus Bosch gets entangled in this case, which has various political ramifications since the prosecutor is running for DA. The serial killer angle also causes Bosch to reconnect with his onetime flame, an FBI profiler who has appeared in previous books. References to previous cases and characters from the series also pop in and out, which may make readers new to Bosch feel somewhat adrift at times.

In any event, when the serial killer is introduced the book goes rather downhill for me. I'm not a fan of the serial killer subgenre, and watching Bosch and the killer play various head games with each other is boring -- we've seen/read it all before. It doesn't help that Connelly completely telegraphs a major incident in the book by suddenly shifting to an narrative mode in which every single step is detailed, tipping the reader off that Something Big Will Happen Any Minute. Fortunately, this is redeemed by the ensuing manhunt, which does a good job of showing how pursuing a paper trail can lead to a killer's lair. Unfortunately, Connelly then invokes the lame "we don't have time to call for backup" card, and allows Bosch to make a totally elementary (and implausible for him) mistake -- one most reader will spot coming.

As with most crime fiction, and the Bosch series in particular, the story is dominated by themes of moral corruption. At this point in the series, it's a well-trodden path, and it's somewhat tiresome to once again see all Bosch's instincts borne out, and arrive at the end to learn that those in high places are entirely disreputable. Once again, a decent ride-along with Bosch, but with enough flaws and thematic repetition to leave me feeling rather unenthusiastic about it.

I've been disappointed in the last few Bosch offerings but Echo Park has Connelly and Harry Bosch back with their "A" game. I was ready to give up on Connelly as an author whose creative juices had dried out. But he surprised me with this excellent and well told tale.

Harry Bosch has returned from retirement and is now working in the Open Unsolved Unit. He remains unchastened by his departure and resurrection in in the Los Angeles police department. The book opens with Harry working a murder case in 1993 involving a promising young beautiful girl. It picks up 13 years later with Harry now working in the Unsolved Unit still obsessed by this young girl's murder and his hunch that the son of a wealthy local businessman is the culprit.

But despite his powerful instincts, another killer has been apprehended and confessed to the killing of the young girl after working out a plea deal in which he agrees to solve several years' worth of old murder cases in exchange for his life. And, as Harry suspects, "things are seldom as they seem." The tale works out intriguingly and believably as Harry follows the trail no matter where it may lead.

Harry remains a credible hero - flawed and yet fundamentally a good man. And the character we've come to know and love stays true to his nature. If you like Connelly and Harry Bosch in particular you will hugely enjoy this latest offering. I give it a hearty endorsement.

For thirteen years, something's troubled Harry Bosch. Marie Gesto, pretty 22-year-old, was abducted and presumed dead, her body- and her killer- never found. Despite an exhaustive investigation, Harry's intuition tells him there's something about the unsolved murder he's overlooked, a critical piece of the puzzle that's staring him in the face but he just can't see, some telling detail out of hundreds in the case that points to the killer's identity but refuses to come into focus, maybe- just maybe- because of his overbearing ego, or some defect in his detective skills...

And then a break in the case. A killer caught, a confession and a body found. Case closed?

Harry's suspicions still tells him no, but he's not sure why. Maybe he should just let it go, swallow his pride and admit he could have caught the killer years ago. But things just don't add up, the confession too convenient for all those involved, his instincts nagging him that the real killer is still out there and now very, very close...

Welcome to Echo Park, Michael Connelly's latest installment in the trials and tribulations of Detective Harry Bosch. Unlike many one-dimensional fictional detectives, Harry is an expertly drawn character with all the flaws, foibles and contradictions that make humans...well, human. His cunning and street-smarts- along with his near paranoia and self-doubts- place him high up in the pecking order of memorable gumshoes. Better still, all the characters in Echo Park strike a true note, even the disposable ones.

And the plot! It's been said that good plots flow from good characters, and Echo Park proves that rule. The seemingly innocuous details and dialogue that take on new meaning and significance at the end, the way everything eventually falls into place, the stunning conclusion that's both proper and fitting...it takes a profound familiarity with your characters to put all that together and make it feel natural, and Connelly succeeds at the task most splendidly.

-Mark Wakely, author of An Audience for Einstein

Connelly is dazzling in his style.

First, he expresses himself in a very good English, lively, cultural, social. The reader is soon permeated the atmosphere of the American cities of Hollywood, Los Angeles, and the state of California.

Next, the psychological profiles are far from simplistic caricatures which are often shown in films for example.

Finally, the plot gripps you firmly the guts. Harry Bosch, a former veteran of the Vietnam War where he fought as a "tunnel rat" is very endearing. Tenacious cop, non-careerist and yet so proud of its mission, it weird for its spirit of freedom from the constraints of a system that nourishes.

I found that Harry Bosch is very American. He is endearing. Parallel with the character Clint Eastwood. "Echo Park" = one of the best thrillers of Connelly.

Be careful : you are in geat danger of insomnia.

Really 3.8 stars. Michael Connelly is my guilty pleasure (along with Ian Rankin and Walter Mosley). Years ago I was pet-sitting in Genoa and the Irish vacationing couple only had mysteries--hundreds!--and I picked up Blood Work and loved it. Went back to the beginning and read all of Connelly's books in sequence and now I keep up book by book and look forward to each new one. All of that being said, he has done significantly better but he can't really do wrong. He knows LA inside and out, he has spent most of his adult life as a crime reporter or a crime novelist with access to the real cops.

I can't really say why this one didn't make me stay up all night and read 400 pages in one sitting. Harry Bosch is always Harry and I like the character enormously. I love his passionate and caring heart. It was interesting to follow the leads that he generated--the recurring birthdates of the killer, Reynard the Fox was a nice literary touch. Maybe it was just a little too pat for me--I knew, for example, that Waits was going to make a break at the crime scene. I felt set-up for it and usually Connelly doesn't get that sloppy as far as predictability is concerned.

His previous two I would give 4.5 stars--The Lincoln Lawyer and The Closers, the latter with his partner Kiz, who I like a lot, too. His nonfiction Crime Beat was not up to par with his Bosch novels. Connelly is great for travel and for satisfying guilty pleasure breaks between other kinds of reading.

This is one of the best Harry Bosch mystery books I have read to date. The characters are some of those from prior books, but easily understandable if you have not read about them in prior editions. The new characters are vivid and well thought out. The story line will get you hooked almost immediately and keep you there right until the last page.

The mystery is somewhat solveable if you keep your eyes open for the clues, but you will not be expecting how the story ends until you read the final few pages. It's really the story inside of the story that makes this book so interesting. If this sounds like double talk pick up a copy of the book and give it a read. You won't be disappointed I can assure you.

"Echo Park" by Michael Connelly, Little, Brown and company, New York, 2006.

I was borrowing a book on Michael Collins, the Irish patriot, when the Librarian called my attention to the latest novel by Michael Connelly. Their names were alike in their Irishness. So, I borrowed the book, "Echo Park", and I so enjoyed the novel that I thought it worthwhile to become the 129th the store reviewer.

Michael Connelly's writing is excellent, moving smoothly and quickly along, so that the novel was a joy to read. His knowledge of police procedure is evident in this novel, and it makes you wonder if he writes for television shows such as "Law And Order". But then, you attempt to figure out the plot as you read along the pages; how can the author use the Serial Killer, who has already been captured? The obvious contempt for the "pretty boy" politician points to a deal with the Serial Killer for possible positive publicity, but there has to be more than that. I expected H. Bosch's past and present girl friend, FBI agent Rachel Walling, to be put in harm's way and to be captured by the killer, but the plot twists another way. The plot twists really make this novel interesting reading and hard to put down.

I was happy that this novel was recommended to me and I am happy to be the latest reviewer to assign five stars to the book.

This is the first Michael Connelly novel that I've read, and I salute the author for the plot and the way he crafted the story. Although I understand it is #12 in a series it stood alone very well, the author bringing you up to speed on the history of Bosch and his relationships in a hurry. It was not too complicated to follow, and I loved the way he led you from one scene to another. By the time you get through it you have a good plot, enough twists to keep your interest, and a satisfying outcome - all essential elements of a good detective story. Unlike so many stories that have the protagonist and the love interest rushed together in a "happy forever after" commitment this was not the case in #12, so leads you to expect another good novel from Connelly.

The unsolved murder of Marie Gesto has stayed with Harry Bosch since he first investigated the case in 1993. Now working in the Open-Unsolved Unit, Bosch routinely studies the case, looking for missed clues. When Bosch learns that a serial killer has confessed to the murder of Marie Gesto, he's thrown off balance. For years, Bosch has targeted another man for the murder. As validation, Bosch is required to take the killer's confession, then accompany him and other law enforcement officials to the site where Marie's body is buried. During that foray, the killer manages to escape, killing two officers in the process. While tracking the killer, Bosch once more studies the murder book for Marie Gesto, along with other victims the serial killer claims to have murdered, and begins to suspect that this killer is the wrong guy for Marie's brutal death.

Reading this series guaranties plenty of suspense, a twisting mystery, and a plethora of good guys and bad guys. Bosch is an interesting character, a man hardened by his work whose spontaneous acts tend to get him in trouble, but who doesn't try to rein himself in and is not above bending the law to suit his needs. A good read.

This is a great Bosch police story. There are more potential story lines that could have won out in the end but I like the option that prevailed and it set up the great capebility to have Bosch interact with Kit in the future. All Bosch fans should read this one.

Our favorite detective is up to his proverbial eyeballs once again in a murder case. Unfortunately, this one goes back 13 years. In fact, Harry has never given up on finding the killer. Harry will find the killer. The only question, as per usual: at what cost to both Harry and society at-large?

Like a number of Connelly's books, this mystery is a successful hybrid of 2 traditions. One progenitor is the Raymond Chandler detective tradition of crime investigators obsessively seeking the truth, often at considerable personal cost, in a corrupt environment. The second tradition is that of the police procedural. Connelly does well in bringing these elements together in a decently plotted book with enough psychological dimension to provide decent characterization. His spare writing style works well. Like several of his books, Connelly introduces a major and a bit contrived plot twist at the very end.

Readers who like this type of book would do well to pick up some of Ross Macdonald's superior Lew Archer books, some of which are still in print.

"Echo Park," the latest Harry Bosch novel from Michael Connelly is quite spectacular.

LAPD Detective Bosch is now working cold cases as a member of the Open-Unsolved Unit with his partner Kiz Rider.

In 1993, Bosch worked the Marie Gesto case, where she walked out of a supermarket and disappeared. Her car and cloths were found, but the body never turned up.

Bosch never let go of the case in the thirteen intervening years.

A captured serial killer strikes a deal with the DA. To avoid the death penalty he will own up to several other killings---including Marie Gesto.

Now Bosch must make certain the killer (Raynard Waits) is not conning the DA. Waits's name never came up in Bosch's original investigation---in fact, Bosch had a suspect that he still believes could have done it.

Even after Waits leads the DA's team to the buried body, Bosch is still skeptical.

The well-executed plot is so first-rate and too intricate to reveal any more.

As thought provoking and unsettling as the plot is, it is the well-formed characters with multifaceted personas that are driving forces of the novel.

Mr. Connelly makes the characters authentic...you feel a bona fide attachment to them. He makes you invest in them and truly care for them.

There is a section devoted to the "field trip" to uncover Marie Gesto's body that is as powerful, emotional and riveting as anything I have ever read. When the "field trip" concluded, I was exhausted...but could not stop reading.

The police procedural aspect is interwoven with LA politics creating an added layer of tension.

Michael Connelly is the master of hiding the telling clues in plain sight. His style deftly entrances you. At the dénouement you have the wonderful "oh wow" moment.

As usual, the Connelly novel is one to read more than once.

In the first few Harry Bosch books (The Black Ice (Harry Bosch), etc.) I really thought that Connelly was writing something really remarkable. I was in love with the dark and edgy tone. The novels had that edgy hard-boiled something that I really like in detective fiction. Unfortunately, while he never really jumped the shark, his later work did not really live up to the level of his earlier efforts.

While Echo Park is not a return to the rawness of the first few books, it is a serious improvement over the last few. Harry Bosch is back in form, and doing what he does best-- exploring that thin line between what turned him into a cop while others became killers. The ending is a little bit... "stretched" is the best word. I also encourage Connelly to turn down the political paranoia a notch. Too much conspiracy and Bosch risks turning into Kay Scarpetta. Surely something that nobody wants to see.

I bought it for an airplane ride, and hardly looked up to see the time passing. Recommended, at least for the sheer entertainment value.

Harry Bosch is a bull-dog of a cop. Methodical and focused, he plots on--trying to find out who abducted and probable killed Marie Gesto in 1993. He reviews the files and re-interviews the witnesses and suspects every few years.

A man is stopped by a patrolman. Garbage bags containing body parts are found in his car. He confesses to having killed nine other victims, including Marie Gesto. But Harry is suspicious; it doesn't feel right to him, but all the pieces seem to be there. Getting help from his FBI companion and friends could mean loss of his job, if he survives.

Good detecting, lots of excitement and twists; this is my first "Harry Bosch" book but it won't be my last.

Review by Wanda C. Keesey (author of Lost In The Mist)

Echo Park is another great book by Connelly. Harry Bosch is back trying to solve a crime that happened 13 years ago when Marie Gesto was murdered. Bosch, who is haunted by cases that are not closed, begins to connect clues to the killer and the plot by Connelly has you going one way and then has you going another way as you read chapter after chapter.

Rachel Walling makes her return in this book and Harry Bosch continues to be a terrific character that I never grow tired of as he is the ultimate detective trying to do the right thing in a corrupted world.

Connelly writes books that you can read more than once and enjoy. He hasn't written a bad book yet and with ECHO PARK he continues to excel as one of the best, if not the best, mystery writers in the nation.

I really got caught up in this book. Up until I approached the end, I thought it was one of Connelly's best. The story is compelling. But I thought the ending was a cop-out. Everything was wrapped up too easily, too conveniently. Big details are left out. We never find out about the motives for the killings, for example. It was as if the author was writing a term paper and realized that he had already reached the 300 page minimum required for the assignment; so he just wrapped things up in as few pages as possible to get the thing done. It definitely felt rushed, and there were too many shortcuts to get to the conclusion.

Over the past six months I have read nearly every Michael Connelly book with both my own personal attention to the study of the craft of writing, and for my overall amusement and entertainment. Echo Park is the first book that I have been waiting for from this distinguished author who has raised the literary bar for those writers who concentrate in the suspense/thriller genre'. In Echo Park, Michael Connelly delievers a terrific continuation of the Harry Bosch 'movement' with deliberate and flawless attention and consistancy to character development and plot line in juxtaposition to setting, thematic, and character profile.

What is amazing in Connelly's writing of Bosch in this informative and clever novel is how the author brings the reader into the head and heart of the protagonist in such a way that the reader feels their own heart racing, hair standing straight up, pins dagging into your spin, as you too question if Bosch errored in ways regarding the investigation of a murder years earlier that perhaps somehow allowed for more innocent lives to be victemized by a serial killer.

This is one of Connelly's best so far, and by far my favorite in the Harry Bosch series. What is clear is that Michael Connelly continues to wrap his hands magnificantly on the craft of storytelling, combining historical fact and 'truthisms' in the creation of the fiction world Harry Bosch navigates thru. Educational, pulsating, page-turning, Michael Connelly does a wonderful job bringing the reader to Echo Park.

Harry Bosch has "unretired" and is now working in the Open-Unsolved Unit. He keeps a file on his desk from a case that has haunted him, the murder of Marie Gesto thirteen years earlier. An overlooked clue in the case by Harry and his partner causes Harry to question his whole exsistence as a police officer. A serial killer has been apprehended and sentenced to die, but has agreed to lead investigators to her body in exchange for a life sentence instead of the needle. A bungled "field trip" leads to an escape, and before the conclusion of the story, careers are over. FBI agent,Rachel Walling, a character in a prior novel makes a return visit as both a love interest and a helper in Harry's quest to resolve the Gesto murder case.

Michael Connelly has become more prolific of late, but that has not hurt he quality of his writing. ECHO PARK is vintage Harry Bosch...compelling, suspenseful, page-turning. Leave enough time in the day to really sink your teeth into the book. You won't want to put it down.

"Echo Park" by Michael Connelly, Little, Brown and company, New York, 2006.

I was borrowing a book on Michael Collins, the Irish patriot, when the Librarian called my attention to the latest novel by Michael Connelly. Their names were alike in their Irishness. So, I borrowed the book, "Echo Park", and I so enjoyed the novel that I thought it worthwhile to become the 129th the store reviewer.

Michael Connelly's writing is excellent, moving smoothly and quickly along, so that the novel was a joy to read. His knowledge of police procedure is evident in this novel, and it makes you wonder if he writes for television shows such as "Law And Order". But then, you attempt to figure out the plot as you read along the pages; how can the author use the Serial Killer, who has already been captured? The obvious contempt for the "pretty boy" politician points to a deal with the Serial Killer for possible positive publicity, but there has to be more than that. I expected H. Bosch's past and present girl friend, FBI agent Rachel Walling, to be put in harm's way and to be captured by the killer, but the plot twists another way. The plot twists really make this novel interesting reading and hard to put down.

I was happy that this novel was recommended to me and I am happy to be the latest reviewer to assign five stars to the book.

This is the first Michael Connelly novel that I've read, and I salute the author for the plot and the way he crafted the story. Although I understand it is #12 in a series it stood alone very well, the author bringing you up to speed on the history of Bosch and his relationships in a hurry. It was not too complicated to follow, and I loved the way he led you from one scene to another. By the time you get through it you have a good plot, enough twists to keep your interest, and a satisfying outcome - all essential elements of a good detective story. Unlike so many stories that have the protagonist and the love interest rushed together in a "happy forever after" commitment this was not the case in #12, so leads you to expect another good novel from Connelly.

The unsolved murder of Marie Gesto has stayed with Harry Bosch since he first investigated the case in 1993. Now working in the Open-Unsolved Unit, Bosch routinely studies the case, looking for missed clues. When Bosch learns that a serial killer has confessed to the murder of Marie Gesto, he's thrown off balance. For years, Bosch has targeted another man for the murder. As validation, Bosch is required to take the killer's confession, then accompany him and other law enforcement officials to the site where Marie's body is buried. During that foray, the killer manages to escape, killing two officers in the process. While tracking the killer, Bosch once more studies the murder book for Marie Gesto, along with other victims the serial killer claims to have murdered, and begins to suspect that this killer is the wrong guy for Marie's brutal death.

Reading this series guaranties plenty of suspense, a twisting mystery, and a plethora of good guys and bad guys. Bosch is an interesting character, a man hardened by his work whose spontaneous acts tend to get him in trouble, but who doesn't try to rein himself in and is not above bending the law to suit his needs. A good read.

This is a great Bosch police story. There are more potential story lines that could have won out in the end but I like the option that prevailed and it set up the great capebility to have Bosch interact with Kit in the future. All Bosch fans should read this one.

Our favorite detective is up to his proverbial eyeballs once again in a murder case. Unfortunately, this one goes back 13 years. In fact, Harry has never given up on finding the killer. Harry will find the killer. The only question, as per usual: at what cost to both Harry and society at-large?

Like a number of Connelly's books, this mystery is a successful hybrid of 2 traditions. One progenitor is the Raymond Chandler detective tradition of crime investigators obsessively seeking the truth, often at considerable personal cost, in a corrupt environment. The second tradition is that of the police procedural. Connelly does well in bringing these elements together in a decently plotted book with enough psychological dimension to provide decent characterization. His spare writing style works well. Like several of his books, Connelly introduces a major and a bit contrived plot twist at the very end.

Readers who like this type of book would do well to pick up some of Ross Macdonald's superior Lew Archer books, some of which are still in print.

"Echo Park," the latest Harry Bosch novel from Michael Connelly is quite spectacular.

LAPD Detective Bosch is now working cold cases as a member of the Open-Unsolved Unit with his partner Kiz Rider.

In 1993, Bosch worked the Marie Gesto case, where she walked out of a supermarket and disappeared. Her car and cloths were found, but the body never turned up.

Bosch never let go of the case in the thirteen intervening years.

A captured serial killer strikes a deal with the DA. To avoid the death penalty he will own up to several other killings---including Marie Gesto.

Now Bosch must make certain the killer (Raynard Waits) is not conning the DA. Waits's name never came up in Bosch's original investigation---in fact, Bosch had a suspect that he still believes could have done it.

Even after Waits leads the DA's team to the buried body, Bosch is still skeptical.

The well-executed plot is so first-rate and too intricate to reveal any more.

As thought provoking and unsettling as the plot is, it is the well-formed characters with multifaceted personas that are driving forces of the novel.

Mr. Connelly makes the characters authentic...you feel a bona fide attachment to them. He makes you invest in them and truly care for them.

There is a section devoted to the "field trip" to uncover Marie Gesto's body that is as powerful, emotional and riveting as anything I have ever read. When the "field trip" concluded, I was exhausted...but could not stop reading.

The police procedural aspect is interwoven with LA politics creating an added layer of tension.

Michael Connelly is the master of hiding the telling clues in plain sight. His style deftly entrances you. At the dénouement you have the wonderful "oh wow" moment.

As usual, the Connelly novel is one to read more than once.

In the first few Harry Bosch books (The Black Ice (Harry Bosch), etc.) I really thought that Connelly was writing something really remarkable. I was in love with the dark and edgy tone. The novels had that edgy hard-boiled something that I really like in detective fiction. Unfortunately, while he never really jumped the shark, his later work did not really live up to the level of his earlier efforts.

While Echo Park is not a return to the rawness of the first few books, it is a serious improvement over the last few. Harry Bosch is back in form, and doing what he does best-- exploring that thin line between what turned him into a cop while others became killers. The ending is a little bit... "stretched" is the best word. I also encourage Connelly to turn down the political paranoia a notch. Too much conspiracy and Bosch risks turning into Kay Scarpetta. Surely something that nobody wants to see.

I bought it for an airplane ride, and hardly looked up to see the time passing. Recommended, at least for the sheer entertainment value.

Harry Bosch is a bull-dog of a cop. Methodical and focused, he plots on--trying to find out who abducted and probable killed Marie Gesto in 1993. He reviews the files and re-interviews the witnesses and suspects every few years.

A man is stopped by a patrolman. Garbage bags containing body parts are found in his car. He confesses to having killed nine other victims, including Marie Gesto. But Harry is suspicious; it doesn't feel right to him, but all the pieces seem to be there. Getting help from his FBI companion and friends could mean loss of his job, if he survives.

Good detecting, lots of excitement and twists; this is my first "Harry Bosch" book but it won't be my last.

Review by Wanda C. Keesey (author of Lost In The Mist)

Echo Park is another great book by Connelly. Harry Bosch is back trying to solve a crime that happened 13 years ago when Marie Gesto was murdered. Bosch, who is haunted by cases that are not closed, begins to connect clues to the killer and the plot by Connelly has you going one way and then has you going another way as you read chapter after chapter.

Rachel Walling makes her return in this book and Harry Bosch continues to be a terrific character that I never grow tired of as he is the ultimate detective trying to do the right thing in a corrupted world.

Connelly writes books that you can read more than once and enjoy. He hasn't written a bad book yet and with ECHO PARK he continues to excel as one of the best, if not the best, mystery writers in the nation.

I really got caught up in this book. Up until I approached the end, I thought it was one of Connelly's best. The story is compelling. But I thought the ending was a cop-out. Everything was wrapped up too easily, too conveniently. Big details are left out. We never find out about the motives for the killings, for example. It was as if the author was writing a term paper and realized that he had already reached the 300 page minimum required for the assignment; so he just wrapped things up in as few pages as possible to get the thing done. It definitely felt rushed, and there were too many shortcuts to get to the conclusion.

Over the past six months I have read nearly every Michael Connelly book with both my own personal attention to the study of the craft of writing, and for my overall amusement and entertainment. Echo Park is the first book that I have been waiting for from this distinguished author who has raised the literary bar for those writers who concentrate in the suspense/thriller genre'. In Echo Park, Michael Connelly delievers a terrific continuation of the Harry Bosch 'movement' with deliberate and flawless attention and consistancy to character development and plot line in juxtaposition to setting, thematic, and character profile.

What is amazing in Connelly's writing of Bosch in this informative and clever novel is how the author brings the reader into the head and heart of the protagonist in such a way that the reader feels their own heart racing, hair standing straight up, pins dagging into your spin, as you too question if Bosch errored in ways regarding the investigation of a murder years earlier that perhaps somehow allowed for more innocent lives to be victemized by a serial killer.

This is one of Connelly's best so far, and by far my favorite in the Harry Bosch series. What is clear is that Michael Connelly continues to wrap his hands magnificantly on the craft of storytelling, combining historical fact and 'truthisms' in the creation of the fiction world Harry Bosch navigates thru. Educational, pulsating, page-turning, Michael Connelly does a wonderful job bringing the reader to Echo Park.

Harry Bosch has "unretired" and is now working in the Open-Unsolved Unit. He keeps a file on his desk from a case that has haunted him, the murder of Marie Gesto thirteen years earlier. An overlooked clue in the case by Harry and his partner causes Harry to question his whole exsistence as a police officer. A serial killer has been apprehended and sentenced to die, but has agreed to lead investigators to her body in exchange for a life sentence instead of the needle. A bungled "field trip" leads to an escape, and before the conclusion of the story, careers are over. FBI agent,Rachel Walling, a character in a prior novel makes a return visit as both a love interest and a helper in Harry's quest to resolve the Gesto murder case.

Michael Connelly has become more prolific of late, but that has not hurt he quality of his writing. ECHO PARK is vintage Harry Bosch...compelling, suspenseful, page-turning. Leave enough time in the day to really sink your teeth into the book. You won't want to put it down.

I love Harry Bosch! I read this after I had seen the first season of Bosch and I was worried that I had been ruined for it since this book was one of the main stories in season 1. I was wrong, it was even better!

No one is better at the police procedural than Michael Connelly. It is a sub genre that does not appeal to every reader. The plot is gritty, perhaps too gritty for the gentler reader, but it does pull the reader along at a steady pace. Other reviewers have outlined the plot in detail, so I will skip that. Suffice it to say that there are indeed surprises and interesting twists. The setting, Los Angeles, feels right: crowded and a bit phony. The characters, as usual for Connelly, come alive in this book. His dialogue, again, is on the money.

Despite all the encomiums, this novel is not quite as good as Connelly's previous work, "The Lincoln Lawyer," and I'm not quite sure why. It may be that we have seen Harry Bosch before, and he is not much changed--nor is the feel of the plot and atmosphere. Nonetheless, I'll continue to read any book Connelly writes.

Like another reviewer, I'd have to give this latest Bosch outing, four and a half stars. Unsettled by a case that was never solved, Bosch is really thrown for a loop when evidence in the notes show the serial killer they were looking for had actually contacted he and his partner at the time. The fact that they never followed up on the potential lead could of caused a number of unnecessary deaths that followed.

For the most part I thought it was just great. Connelly is fantastic at tightening the suspense, and writes thrillers better than almost anyone out there. What felt a bit false and stale to me was his relationship with agent Rachel Walling who he's been previously involved with. Much of it made sense, I think I just felt the ending we've seen before and felt convienient for Bosch. Overall I thought this was one of the stronger Bosch outings in some time, and if you're a fan, you shouldn't miss it.

The author is overusing the word "nodded". I don't recall his doing this in previous books but it's every few sentences and started grating on my nerves.

Bosh nodded. Rachel nodded. He nodded. She nodded. I just want to scream STOP ALL THIS NODDING?

Other than that, great book.

To say I liked this this book is an understatement. It is one of the best of its type I've ever read.

Other reviewers in this space tell you what it's about, so I won't repea; but in general Harry Bosch, a middle aged single, lonely, virtuous yet scarred LAPD detective battles Dpartment politics to save a girl and solve a crime ten years old wherein another girl disappeared. The crime always haunted him; and here he gets his "justice" of sorts. It's just a great read for your vacation or the airlane or a rainy afternoon by the fire. Highly recommended. Almost guaranteed.

A word of warning. Unless you know downtown Los Angeles better read this with a map or else follow the action on Mapquest. Harry speeds down lots of streets which meant nothing to me till I got a map.

I'm actually happier that the more recent Harry Bosch story writing has improved, over the initial books (which I did not think were very good, and I barely hung in there reading them). The addition of Rachel Walling was a mixed blessing to this story ... she was critical Asa support for Harry, but I'm not sure her character was necessary for this book's success.

Mr. Connolly is, without a doubt, the best crime writer in America. I may be new to him this year but I can't seem to get enough. This installment is a Harry Bosch novel. Harry, working in the Open/Unsolved unit he returned to in "The Closers", is chasing down a case from 1993. There is a confession, confusion, murder , mayhem, Harry in trouble and on the edge. I love that Harry Bosch is not one of these cookie cutter series detectives. He's real with a lot of warts. And that makes him fun. I'm glad that Connellly is a prolific writer because I have a lot of catching up to do. Settle in for a TERRIFIC READ!!!

Never mind that Harry Bosch's actions are quite often unbelievable. Never mind that key plot twists are fairly obvious and predictable. Never mind that characters are not well developed. Never mind that a climactic confrontation is utterly ludicrous. What really annoyed me is the poor writing style. For example, Connelly used the construct "Bosch knew that xxx" at least 20 times, when xxx would have been obvious even to the most unsophisticated reader (and thus simply writing "xxx" and omitting the "Bosch knew that" would have sufficed).

This was the first Michael Connelly book I have ever read (after it was recommended to me) and I wasn't disappointed. Echo Park was a fast paced murder mystery with just enough twist and turns to keep me engaged and interested. The character of Harry Bosch was likable and interesting. A caught serial killer is ready to confess to a cold case that Bosch was formerly trying to solve. Bosch is brought in to confirm the authenticity of the confession. After Bosch finds out that he and his partner may have missed a clue that could have caught the killer back then, he wrestles with his demons and tries to find out how they could have missed it. Add a little romance and politics into the equation, and the latter half of the story is engrossing. I recommend this book to all readers who enjoy murder mysteries and police novels.

not very many writers could write as good as or better than michael connelly. i've been following his novels from the very first to this one, only a few of them fell flat as mediocre (bad ones: trunk music, some void moon...as dark as..or something like that). connelly never allowed himself to lose focus on being a solid and integrate writer, his harry bosch character was where he put his heart and soul with that has made the aging detective a real person with a heart of humanity.
this 'echo park' is as good as a wonderful novel could offer to you. and i sincerely believe if connelly didn't allow his fame to jeopardize his writing so far, we could be assured more goodies from him for years to come.
thank you very much again, mr. connelly.

Michael Connelly does not write books. He tells tales of lives and people. His characters make decisions, good and bad. They interact with people in many different ways. As you read his books he leads you through possible and probable scenarios, all the while weighing the evidence and analyzing peoples actions. Little clues and small ideas are considered. After a while you become spellbound and trapped in the story, wondering just what is happening and what the clues could possibly mean. The odd bits of information which surfaced chapters ago start to fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Just when you think you have unraveled the story an event or a new clue bridges the gap and you, in sudden amazement realize what really took place.
Folks, this guy can WRITE!

Harry's in fine form here. He'll solve this long forgotten case, bringing justice and perhaps some small comfort to the parents of the victim. There are some truly exciting moments as Harry closes in on the killer but without giving anything away, as with many Bosch stories, the showdown with the killer isn't quite the end. There is a little more to the story which some readers may see as a letdown. Almost everyone involved in this case will pay a price. For some, it will be a high price.

This is first time I've read any of Connelly' s hooks. I enjoy police stories. A good example of the tainted hero seeking justice no matter the costs. Strange twist at the end, had me fooled, which is good! Will continue reading the series. On to The Black Ice....

Once again Michael Connelly proves he is top shelf when it comes to Crime Drama. I was first introduced to Connelly, like many; via the 2002 Clint Eastwood pseudo-flop "Blood Work". I had no desire to see another creation of Connelly whatsoever. A year later I was at a book signing for one of John Sandford's "Prey" books and he recommended I give Connelly another try. I picked up "The Poet" and that was all I needed. I can sum it up like this: No one writes flawed and F'ed up characters like Connelly. No one!

Others have given you enough plot points of this book so I will skip that. I will say in "Echo Park", Harry Bosch is on top of his game (and to be honest, when has he not been??). Among other things, we are teased with another classic confrontation between Harry and his nemesis, former Deputy Chief Irving. Alas, it was not to be, but I can see a clash between these titans just over the horizon. Can you see it??? I know that you can.

We are treated to the usual cast of characters including a special FBI agent from Harry's recent past as well as his partner, Kiz Ryder and others from the Open/Unsolved Unit. We are also reminded what a tool Jerry Edgar is. God is he useless.

You cannot go wrong with a Michael Connelly book. Trust me, pick it up today.

Once again, I was thoroughly entertained with a Michael Connelly novel featuring my favorite detective, Harry Bosch. No matter how long ago the crime was committed, Harry will solve it. Not only with his tenaciousness, but because he happens to care. This well written, compelling story grabbed me from the beginning. The twists and turns were spot on and the ending was oh so satisfying.

Great job Mr Connelly. As a fan of your novels, you're at your best when Harry's doing what he does best...seeking justice for the innocent. I love it.

This is the first Connelly book I've read. I'll definitely read the whole Bosch series now. And I recently bought The Poet for 50 cents. The only thing that bothered me was the occasional stiltedness of the dialogue. I'm a big fan of good dialogue, esp. in police procedurals. But it's as if Connelly has Spellcheck set up to check for informal language, and he occasionally actually "corrects" it to be more formal. Some characters, sometimes say, "I do not..," "it cannot," instead of using contractions. Weird.....

Echo Park by Michael Connelly is the first Harry Bosch novel that I have had the pleasure of reading. I have previously read The Poet and the Lincoln Lawyer; however, I am a big fan of series mysteries. This book is darn near perfect. A wonderful mystery with believable characters. Bosch is outstanding. The Black Echo is now centrally located on my nightstand as I am compelled to start at the beginning.

I had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Connelly at the LA Times Festival of Books. He advised that the next Bosch novel (following The Overlook) will feature Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller of the Lincoln Lawyer. I can't wait.

5 Stars. Excellent!!!

Of course reading them in order, this is book twelve in Michael Connlley's wonderful detective series featuring LAPD's Harry Bosch. ECHO PARK just might be the best to date; just loved the storyline. Bosch is still working the Open-Unsolved Unit with partner Kizmin 'Kiz" Rider. Harry is called on a old case he never solved the disappearance/murder of young Marie Gesto which has always haunted him. The new evidence provides many new twists for Harry and he involves former love interest, FBI Special Agent Rachael Walling. I really enjoyed the many turns in the plot and the interesting characters,new and old; again one of the best of the series.

Another great Harry Bosch LA detective novel. This one involves some political deals, an escaped serial killer, a hidden chamber of horrors and a police cover-up. Michael Connelly nails all angles, from police work, to media coverage to internal department politics. How can he write so well?

Another very good crime novel by Michael Connelly. However, many characters are just one dimentional. Who really is Rachel, Bosch lover? We hardly know her. Who is Keisha Russell, the reporter? etc. And Bosch's just blindly trying to solve his past murder case. He doesn't care much about the other 8 (or 9) victims. He doesn't care about his lover when attacking the serial murder (with gun) in a dark channel without calling back up. The fox tale seems strange too.

Anyway, this book is very good. A page-turner!

I enjoy reading the customer reviews both before and then after I read a book. I agree with most of the reviewers who point out that Michael Connelly is simply the best mystery writer around today.

The story unfolds before you. Layer upon layer is disclosed as you work your way through. The characters are believable. Harry through good reasoning reveals the story. The clues are there. Fragments from earlier are picked up and lead you to the conclusion.

Thanks Michael for another great read.

Good premise, as usual. Good set-up and dialogue and I especially enjoyed the political aspect of the law enforcement world. Politics often rears its ugly little head in some surprising places so it's no surprise when it hits here.
I agree that the political ending tended to be a little less satisfying but then maybe that is the real world view that Connelly so accurately reflects.
Even as a talented mystery writer we see glimpses of the good journalist. On to the next book.

Connelly is without doubt one of the finest exponents of his craft. I don't believe that there is one superfluous word in the entire book. His narrative descriptions are as pertinent and appropriate as his dialogue. Serial killers are nothing new in this genre and many authors have the ability to get inside their heads. But Connelly's books are about more than just the ying and yang of good and evil - sometimes its not so clear cut. Don't get me wrong - I like Sandford, Child et al, but Harry is deep man!

This book was a great read! It has the great story with the great twists and turns we love. In this book we get a deeper look at Harry and what makes him the great detective he is, dark side and all. Fans of Mr. Connelly will love this book. For new readers I do suggest reading the books in order, then you will come to know and love the characters .

Echo Park includes all the positives from Connelly's Harry Bosch series. You have an unsolved murder case that comes to light 13 years later when a killer is caught and confesses to the old crime. Bosch isn't so sure and continues to investigate. The trail leads through betrayal some twists and dead ends and offers suspense and fast paced action. Bosch also reconnects with a previous flame from the FBI, as they work together on this case.

Another excellent thriller.

The first half of this one harkens back to the best of the series The Concrete Blonde as Connelley gives us a novel twist on the string of cold cases Harry's been working lately. We then degenerate into Parker Center conspiracies with dirty cops -- as usual. And when is Harry going to realize that whenever he ignores a box of evidence or sends a call to voicemail its invariably something significant to the case? (And don't all Bosch's romances have a DOA vibe from jump street?)

Another quick Harry Bosch read, although I think this one ended too quickly without tying up all the loose ends as they related to Pratt, Olivas and O'Shea. A good, engaging read and I do hope Kiz will be OK.
Echo Park was as much a character as the human characters and I like the tie back to Bosch's early days

Michael Connelly shows why he is the best writer within his genre. Harry Bosch receives a call that there is a confessor to the murder of a young woman from 1993. Harry worked the case and it has haunted him for over a decade.

When a visit to the murder site goes awry, Harry begins to suspect that things are not as they seem. He begins to dig deeper and uncovers angles to the case that he never knew.

An excellent thriller as usual with twists till the end!

Just when you think there will be a resolution in the case, another fact or piece of evidence shows up. It kept my attention riveted on the story and glued to the book. It was almost always several steps ahead of what I was coming up with as to who was guilty, innocent, or somewhere in-between. One of the best of the six or so Bosch books I've read so far.

I read the first 11 Harry Bosch novels, and they're all great. I could be wrong, but I really think the writing is even better this time. The action more compelling. Almost impossible to put down (and I usually have several books going at a time). As usual, Connelly does a superb job with the pacing, but at some point in the first third of this one I became completely spellbound.

I feel today's thriller/mystery writers have a tough time conjuring up twists and turns. This book was no exception. After all, it's all been said. With thousands of books coming out each year it has to be a difficult task to come up with something interesting.

I thank Mr. Connelly for trying. Out of loyalty I will continue to buy his books. I have for years.

I just read the excerpt from his next volume. Like "Echo" it starts out swell.

Connelly's latest Harry Bosch novel is perhaps a bit "by the numbers" but the author's great writing kept me reading to the conclusion. I really enjoy the way Connelly writes about LA and Bosch continues to be my favorite Southern California based detective. Like several other the store reviewers I hope Connelly continues to write legal thrillers like last year's THE LINCOLN LAWYER which was written with all his usual skill and some very fresh and vivid characters.

Another excellent Harry Bosch thriller. Mr. Connely continues to grow this complex and unique character. The investigative technique in this book are particularly well done. i am a big Harry fan. I highly recommend this book.

A delightful read, as usual. Surprisingly plotted and filled with interesting characters. Harry manages to alienate his female associates with his reckless cowboy approach to police work and ruthless willingness to sacrifice evil doers.

It's been a long time since I've read such a good book. Plot and characters are tight, Harry is believable and sympathetic, doesn't exactly cover new ground (serial killer etx), which is why I'm even more impressed - really novel in the way it was told. Pacing is great, really keeps your interest up and none of that long winded self serving overly descriptive nonsense I'm used to as of late from other authors. Really good read.

Echo Park was a gift and the first Michael Connelly book I read. After reading this great mystery/thriller, I just had to go back to the first and read through the series as well as the Lincoln Lawyer. Went to a book signing and Mr. Connelly was very informative. Now have a personally autographed book. Also, received an autographed new release for a gift. Absolutely a favorite author!!

This book was a great read! It has the great story with the great twists and turns we love. In this book we get a deeper look at Harry and what makes him the great detective he is, dark side and all. Fans of Mr. Connelly will love this book. For new readers I do suggest reading the books in order, then you will come to know and love the characters .

Echo Park includes all the positives from Connelly's Harry Bosch series. You have an unsolved murder case that comes to light 13 years later when a killer is caught and confesses to the old crime. Bosch isn't so sure and continues to investigate. The trail leads through betrayal some twists and dead ends and offers suspense and fast paced action. Bosch also reconnects with a previous flame from the FBI, as they work together on this case.

Another excellent thriller.

The first half of this one harkens back to the best of the series The Concrete Blonde as Connelley gives us a novel twist on the string of cold cases Harry's been working lately. We then degenerate into Parker Center conspiracies with dirty cops -- as usual. And when is Harry going to realize that whenever he ignores a box of evidence or sends a call to voicemail its invariably something significant to the case? (And don't all Bosch's romances have a DOA vibe from jump street?)

Another quick Harry Bosch read, although I think this one ended too quickly without tying up all the loose ends as they related to Pratt, Olivas and O'Shea. A good, engaging read and I do hope Kiz will be OK.
Echo Park was as much a character as the human characters and I like the tie back to Bosch's early days

Michael Connelly shows why he is the best writer within his genre. Harry Bosch receives a call that there is a confessor to the murder of a young woman from 1993. Harry worked the case and it has haunted him for over a decade.

When a visit to the murder site goes awry, Harry begins to suspect that things are not as they seem. He begins to dig deeper and uncovers angles to the case that he never knew.

An excellent thriller as usual with twists till the end!

Just when you think there will be a resolution in the case, another fact or piece of evidence shows up. It kept my attention riveted on the story and glued to the book. It was almost always several steps ahead of what I was coming up with as to who was guilty, innocent, or somewhere in-between. One of the best of the six or so Bosch books I've read so far.

I read the first 11 Harry Bosch novels, and they're all great. I could be wrong, but I really think the writing is even better this time. The action more compelling. Almost impossible to put down (and I usually have several books going at a time). As usual, Connelly does a superb job with the pacing, but at some point in the first third of this one I became completely spellbound.

I feel today's thriller/mystery writers have a tough time conjuring up twists and turns. This book was no exception. After all, it's all been said. With thousands of books coming out each year it has to be a difficult task to come up with something interesting.

I thank Mr. Connelly for trying. Out of loyalty I will continue to buy his books. I have for years.

I just read the excerpt from his next volume. Like "Echo" it starts out swell.

Connelly's latest Harry Bosch novel is perhaps a bit "by the numbers" but the author's great writing kept me reading to the conclusion. I really enjoy the way Connelly writes about LA and Bosch continues to be my favorite Southern California based detective. Like several other the store reviewers I hope Connelly continues to write legal thrillers like last year's THE LINCOLN LAWYER which was written with all his usual skill and some very fresh and vivid characters.

Another excellent Harry Bosch thriller. Mr. Connely continues to grow this complex and unique character. The investigative technique in this book are particularly well done. i am a big Harry fan. I highly recommend this book.

A delightful read, as usual. Surprisingly plotted and filled with interesting characters. Harry manages to alienate his female associates with his reckless cowboy approach to police work and ruthless willingness to sacrifice evil doers.

It's been a long time since I've read such a good book. Plot and characters are tight, Harry is believable and sympathetic, doesn't exactly cover new ground (serial killer etx), which is why I'm even more impressed - really novel in the way it was told. Pacing is great, really keeps your interest up and none of that long winded self serving overly descriptive nonsense I'm used to as of late from other authors. Really good read.

Echo Park was a gift and the first Michael Connelly book I read. After reading this great mystery/thriller, I just had to go back to the first and read through the series as well as the Lincoln Lawyer. Went to a book signing and Mr. Connelly was very informative. Now have a personally autographed book. Also, received an autographed new release for a gift. Absolutely a favorite author!!

I FREQUENTLY READ THIS AUTHOR AS HIS MYSTERIES ARE BELIEVABLE, EVERY DAY EPISODES. HE ALWAYS KEEPS YOUR INTEREST WITH TWISTS AND IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY THE VILLAN TILL HE WABNTS TO REVELTHEM!
I LOVE BEING CAUGHT UP AND MY INTEREST HELD IN ALL OF HIS STORIES.

Although Harry Bosch isn't much of a romantic, he is the LAPD's best detective. But he bends the rules, knowing he will take the heat for it. In this case, he is put on home duty and of course continues working the case like the bulldog detective he is. He discovers the truth behind the current conspiracy and finally solves the open/unsolved murder that had haunted him for 13 years. Echo Park is an excellent read.

This is clearly one of the best written Bosch novels. The plot seems straight ahead, but then Connelly's plots never are. These are the weaknesses here-the denouement and the complexity (the renewed relationship's renewed ending just doesn't ring)--as is so for almost all McBain followers, and Evan himself in his later years. Nevertheless, it is a great book to read and enjoy. Bosch's life, like Carella's, is just worth the plot's faux pas'. Make up your own ending, it's still a great book to read.

The story is interesting, though I am not sure if it's truly original. A murder convict takes the blame of an unsolved crime...but is it what it seems to be. The characters are well-developed and can be easily imagined as real-life people. I also liked the plot and the pace of the story, with Echo Park at the center stage. I would love to see this story turned into a TV show or a movie. However, I have couple of issues grappling with the reason behind Mario Gesto's murder, the main murder case. Was she killed just because she looked like someone else? Also, why would such a random killing happen with the killer having no past history of killing? He intimidated kids at one point and had a volatile relationship with his girlfriend, but is it enough to kill someone? I don't think there was enough justification provided for murdering Mario Gesto. Secondly, the revelation of the Raynard Waits' true name came by fluke or chance. I would have liked a more detailed assessment of the key events that happened in the novel and not about the build-up.
Apart of that, I would still recommend this novel to any crime novel lover for creating a wonderful atmosphere and believable characters.

Another great Harry Bosch novel. While some are a little better than another, they are all just super - and this one was no exception. A good read from beginning to end, hard to put down, and has a nice twist at the end. Michael Connelly is truly a master.

Michael Connelly draw the reader into complicated intrigue using details that give the reader insight while plots are being formulated. This gives the reader that extra dimension making each of his books excellent. This one is his best so far in my opinion. Thanks Michael

Had a hard time putting this book down. Also, when you think you`re at a good place to lay the book aside, Mr. MC puts in one of his 'twists'....and off you go again. Ready for the next in the series.

This book was so nice. So smooth. So silky. Writing-wise I mean. Tender in all the right spots, and filled with romance. NOT! This book was action packed and intriquing. Filled with suspense and mystery. Boiling over with tension and suspension. Like a rockin Mustang. Which is appropriate because that's what Bosch drives. I wouldn't mind a Mustang. Especially since I am driving a Prius right now. Which is the least manly car there is. Feeling like I am getting softer by the day. Need to man-up with a Mustang or something tough. Anyway, nice book.

Okay, I realize I'm three years late for this review because the book came out in 2007. But I'm an eclectic reader, so I read other books beside mysteries. So this is about the fourth Michael Connelly book I've read, and he is superb. His language is simple. He's not trying to impress us with metaphors. But his work is outstanding. I pick up a book by him and I'm spirited away to a dark place that is compelling, sensational, and impossible to escape. He captures my attention and doesn't let go. ECHO PARK was no exception. I'm so glad there's a Michael Connolly to read. Even if the psycho in this book, Reynard, is especially upsetting.

Michael Connelly is one of my favorite mystery writers. Echo Park only reinforces this conviction. It is an exciting and unpredicable story that you can't put down until it is over.

Connelly puts a lot into his stories. He only writes one story a year, unlike some of the more commercial writers who put something out every couple of months. The substance of his writings show it. Each story blue print is unique.

I recommend all of Connelly's books.

The worst thing about finishing a Connelly book is that it means you're that much closer to having read all his books! I only have one more left as of this date, and not having a Connelly book to read is a prospect I don't look forward to. I imagine I'll have the same feeling I experienced when I finished the Ellis Peters Brother Cadfael series- the feeling similar to leaving the theater after viewing a good movie that you really don't want to come to an end.

At least we'll probably have more MC books! But it won't be easy waitng for a new one to come out! He is so good! I find it almost impossible to put one of his books down once started.

I love Bosch's jazz references.He has good musical taste!

A hundred pages into the book, I started scanning for words indicative of actual story development, and not long-winded accounts of little importance. Also, showdowns in dimly lit tunnels just seem contrived to me by now. I like my novels a tad more understated. My first Connelly book is thus a disappointment, although I did feel a slight chill in the beginning. I still feel he has something to offer, so suggestions are welcome. This book just fell short.

Albeit the book's end is the typical fairy tale when the bad guy ends bad the book is a good thriller. As many Bosch's novels you'll never know who is the bad guy until the very end of the book. And that makes the book thrilling. There are some "mistakes" in the book but at the end of it you'll see that they weren't "mistakes" they were part of the scam.

I just finished reading Echo Park and really enjoyed it. I like the way Michael Connelly keeps the action moving and keeps the reader wondering what is going to happen next. I usually have some of the villians identified but in this case I did not see Abel Pratt involved in the plot. I too feel it would have been good to see what happened to those corrupt people. However, I used my imagination which perhaps is what the author intended.

This has plenty of action and red herrings to keep you intrigued from beginning to end. Harry Bosch is his usual obsessive self, worrying over an unsolved case from years earlier as he tries to weave some moldering strands of evidence into a nice, tight net. As he sets out on what appears to be a straight line toward the villain of the piece, the road suddenly takes a turn, and then another, so that the readers' interest never flags.

I am a big fan of Michael Connelly. I got this book on Monday and actually skipped work on Tuesday after lunch to finish it. This is a classic Harry Bosch story. It seemed to have more twists than usual, but even with no twists it was a compelling story. There are plenty of the usual supporting cast in the story and it is interesting to see the growth of those characters.

I just finished reading Echo Park last week and I really enjoyed it. The plot was super and the author kept the action moving while keeping me wondering what was going to happen next. Overall, I though Echo Park was thrilling mystery and Michael Connelly as always never disappointed me in this story. For you mystery fans don't miss this one. It's a fast pace of a read that will keep you turning page after page.

If you like well-thought out murder mysteries, Michael Connelly is the author for you. Consistently intelligent, well-written, fast paced, and rewarding. This book is just as good as every other book he has written. And I have read every one of them. Mr. Connelly is an outstanding writer.

This is such a good book. I have read everything he has published (at least I think I have). This book was another that I couldn't put down, and certainly never wanted to. His characters are like old friends and when I hear that Michael Connelly has a new book out I hope that I get to see what my pals are up to again. No disappointment here. I am always amazed that these novels are so interesting, the details so engrossing and vivid. I just love being taken along on the journey of Harry Bosch and whatever cast of characters he is dealing with this time. Great writing, each and every page. Michael Connelly you are wonderful - thank you!

L.A. detective Harry Bosch once again battles his own demons, a master criminal and ambitious individuals in positions of power, all against the backdrop of the "City of Angels" or is it "Angles"? Michael Connelley's "Harry Bosch" books keep getting better and better. If you've read them before, don't miss this one. If this author is new to you, go back to the first of his books and start right in.

Michael Connelly may well be the equal of James Lee Burke and that means the best of the best.

His Harry Bosch books have become a must read series for the last decade and Connelly seems to be getting better as times goes on. This time he not only has a case to solve in the book but in the second last chapter, there is a really interesting moral question about Harry posed (can't really elaborate as it would be a spoiler).

Interesting plot, which is what drew me to this book in the first place. Also, Harry seemed a bit interesting as well, since I like detective stories. But, sorry, couldn't tell ya much about the other characters since they weren't too developed, nor was the plot. Sure, I know who they were and what was going on throughout, but there wasn't much about them to keep me interested. Figuring it all out was quite a simple task, too. I mean, the author kind of gave it to us! I just felt that this novel was missing that "something" that I had expected as I read through it. You know, that jolt of excitement that builds throughout. I had it in the beginning, when I had opened up and began, but after completing a couple more chapters, I already knew where things were headed. I only finished it up to see if I had been correct.

Michael Connelly, like Forest Gump, has a way with endings. Boom!

They just appear.

Echo Park is a prime example of this. I found this to be one of Connelly's most engaging books yet. I'd rank it with The Last Coyote and The Poet as one of his best.

But then...WHAM!

Comes the ending.

Good condition book from reliable seller. All Michael Connelly mysteries are wonderful. If you only know The Lincoln Lawyer, you need to check out this book. I especially like the Harry Bosch books.

I bought the audio version and my wife and I listened to it enthralled through some long car journeys. The Bosch character is , as usual, brought vividly to life by Michael Connolly's perfectly crafted words. The plot is well thought through and cleverly mapped out so that one never has to try to turn back the pages to work out the significance of a particular character or event.One of MC's great strengths is the detailed degree to which his research seems to have been done. I usually read only narrative and dialogue, skipping the descriptive passages but one dare not do this with a Michael Connolly novel. I loved this book.

I won't say a whole lot about this one. It is average, not as good as several others in the series (the black echo) not as bad as a few others (the overlook).

It's readable, not terribly original, somewhat predictable.

I'm happy that most people enjoyed this book, but I am not one of them. This is my first Connelly book and obviously my first Harry Bosch book. So maybe it helps if you have read the other Bosch novels. But a book should be able to stand on its own.

I admit the writing was suspenseful at times. But the story and characters are formulaic. The writer puts up big flashing lights throughout, almost saying: "this guy is bad" "this cop is good, but he may be dirty" "pay attention to this piece of evidence because it may turn out to be planted". It reminded me of the old Batman tv show, where they had signs that said "Secret Bat Cave Entrance". Not one of the twists in the book was surprising. And some of the twists were so expected, it was annoying to have to read through 50+ pages until the detectives figured it out. The story is actually very simple, but it's drawn out too long.

And I have to say, I didn't like the Bosch character. I get it, he's a rebel. But that's been done before, many times. And some of the decisions he makes make zero sense. An example is when he and the FBI agent find the bad guy's house and immediately barge into it. I understand the urgency, but if they were both ambushed and killed, then no one would have even known the location of the bad guy's house.

One last critique: Bosch promises the newspaper reporter that he'll take care of her if she helps him out. Well, she helped him out and Bosch never reciprocated. The writer kind of forgot to close that loop, even though in the middle of the book the writer claimed that Bosch always repaid this reporter with a scoop.

Really, really entertaining. This Bosch novel is a bit seedier than most of the others - and that is a great thing. The setting alternates from urban to forest and back again, which is always fun. Connelly does a bang up job of describing the real L.A. in both geography and human mannerisms and interactions.

The relationships between the characters are exceptionally well developed and they seem very right and pure. The primary villain (who is it?) is masked from the reader until it is too late to alter your expectations as to the conclusion of the book.

Just a satisfying read.